


Shadows Into Light

by honeymoonblvd



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Eventual Romance, Fantasy, M/M, Magic, OT9 (EXO), i made up the spell and kingdom names haha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:22:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25263787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeymoonblvd/pseuds/honeymoonblvd
Summary: In Claradium, Chanyeol and his friends are members of Prince Jongin’s private cabinet. As the kingdom prepares for its grandest festival of the year, a jarring threat denounces its future. With the clock ticking, the four friends have no choice but to journey to an older kingdom and meet its prince, in hopes of receiving aid to save Claradium. But will the man of the kingdom be a man of his word?
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> During an EXO drought, EXO-Ls (once again) fell into wanting a royalty concept. Considering this, along with the book I just finished reading, I decided to create something. I hope you find this story enchanting!
> 
>  **update:** this story _might_ be deleted sometime in 2021. I wrote it while I was incredibly busy, so I feel that the events might be rushed and would like to maybe improve and lengthen it. so, please enjoy it, and thank you for all the current support!

“Sehun, could you move any slower?” 

“I would be delighted to.” 

“Oh God, please don’t.” 

“Have patience, Chanyeol. I can’t find any flower less than perfect.” 

The afternoon sky was a clean cyan and within it proudly stood the gleaming sun. Though it draped Claradium’s castle walls in a transparent golden curtain, the heat it emitted battered down on anyone who stood outside. The top of Chanyeol’s brown head seemed to scald his palm when he touched it. Little beads of sweat began to cling to his forehead, but unfortunately, he knew no spell to cool his body. 

He looked back at his best friend, who was crouching in the midst of the castle’s vast garden, where the vibrant shade of green stretched out for acres with various colors of flower buds, all shapes and sizes, scattered among it. “There are plenty of lilies surrounding you. If not about a hundred!” 

Sehun did not bother to look at him as he spoke. “I’m creating this potion for Kyungsoo, remember? Rather than at me, you will be yelling at my grave tomorrow if he doesn’t get it the way he wants it.” 

“Kyungsoo’s always been too cautious anyway,” Chanyeol responded, but he said nothing else. Magic was not exactly something they’d want to test their odds against. 

Sehun finally selected what he believed to be the right lily and plucked it out of the ground. It was the shade of snow and sat on the palm of his hand like a perched dove, and he held it carefully as if he would not want to crush its delicate bones. He stood up and tilted his head towards the castle. “Let’s go.” 

“Oh, good!” Chanyeol swung around and nearly collided into a young page. He quickly apologized and bowed in humble respect, internally cringing at the thought of if he hadn’t stopped himself in his tracks. The poor boy would have been sprawled out on the ground with the wind knocked out of him. 

The page gave a flustered chuckle and assured him there was no harm done. “Prince Jongin has requested all his mod members to see him in his study,” he informed them, after adjusting his ascot hat out of habit. 

Chanyeol grinned, flashing two rows of perfectly shaped teeth. “Thank you very much. We will be on our way immediately.” 

He and Sehun, who carefully held the lily and a strip of lavender, strode across the garden and to the mouth of the castle. As they stepped in, they were welcomed by a soothing breeze, but the cool atmosphere was not the reason for Chanyeol’s beam. Though he had been part of the mod for plenty of years by now, he could not help but feel a sense of pride in his chest whenever he was referred to as one of the members. 

In the several kingdoms that stood across the continent, each ruler had their own mod—a private cabinet of a few close individuals. They were not merely behind-the-scenes advisors for they often received more commendations than the dukes and duchesses of the Magic Court. The majority of the time, the mod consisted of intimate friends who could be trusted to handle the countless affairs of the kingdom, and that is what he, Sehun, and Kyungsoo were. 

Jongin was not only the prince they served; he was also one of their closest friends who they laughed and grew up playing with as well as helping him with foreign businesses, magic-handling, and the like. Jongin never failed to remind them how they were the perfect group for him, and Chanyeol proudly agreed. He himself was altruistic and imaginative. Sehun was witty and calculated. Kyungsoo was intimidating yet warm and brilliant, and sometimes Chanyeol couldn’t help but think that Kyungsoo was the one that kept him and Sehun on course. 

The two men walked past the magnificent chandelier that hung above them from the high ceiling as its stardust twinkled out light and then climbed up the wide marble staircase. They reached the Prince’s Hall, the brightest hallway in the castle due to the large glass windows that allowed the sunlight in as a warm friend. All the most important rooms of the castle lined these walls, such as meeting rooms for members of the Magic Court, potion rooms for trusted nurses and sorcerers to concoct and store their ingredients, and most significantly Prince Jongin’s private study.

That was where they were requested. 

Upon reaching the study, Chanyeol firmly knocked twice before he opened the door and walked in with Sehun closely behind him. 

“Good afternoon!” he chirped. 

Jongin was standing behind his large desk, peering down at a scroll that stretched across the surface with the palms of his hands pressed down upon it. He looked up, and his lips curled into a smile. “Good afternoon,” he kindly greeted. He straightened himself up, and a familiar sensation of admiration coursed through Chanyeol’s body. 

Prince Jongin was a very amiable ruler, if not the most. Because of him, the magical energy that thrived in Claradium was always so pleasant and likable to newcomers and the people that lived within. He was known for his kind manner, but the regality that surrounded him wherever he stepped was undeniable. To Chanyeol, he was like a lion. Everyone nakedly admired the beauty that radiated through its looks and actions, but no one dared to tweak the tail of one. 

Kyungsoo was already there. He was standing by the window with the mahogany red curtain pulled back so he could gaze out at the bright castle grounds. He had turned his head when the two men entered and noticed the flowers in Sehun’s hands. 

“Are those for the potion?” he asked, stepping over. 

“Mhm. I’ll make it in about an hour, don’t worry,” Sehun replied, holding up the flowers for him to see. 

“Thank God. My head has been killing me and we’ve got an important week coming up.” 

Kyungsoo stood at a height quite shorter than the other three, especially when compared to Chanyeol. His forehead reached only slightly higher than Chanyeol’s shoulders, but he was not short. The three other men were simply much taller than the average height. That did not mean Chanyeol refrained from teasing him about it. But he never took the joking too far because he knew Kyungsoo would not hesitate to slap him with a bothersome jinx. 

“The upcoming week is what I’ve called you guys here for,” Jongin said. He stood in front of his desk now, the back of his lower body resting against it. “We need to discuss our preparations for the Star Festival.” 

Ah, the Star Festival.

It was the annual festival that allowed the kingdom to effectively replenish on all their cosmic supplies. Claradium’s lights were powered by stardust, and additional substances such as matter from the Milky Way and dust from the moon’s craters were collected for potions as well. Chanyeol personally loved dealing with the fresh moondust, though it smelled of the black powder people lacking extensive magic used to manually shoot fireworks into the sky. 

“Were you looking at the traditional arrangements just now?” Sehun asked, indicating towards the older parchment on the desk. 

Jongin answered with a nod. “We follow these guidelines every year, however, this year I would like to organize another method along with what we already have. It’s in hopes of having a more plentiful stash that we can access more frequently should a situation call for it.” 

Two knocks emitted from the door. It opened as they all turned their heads, and a fifth man stepped in with a gentle smile. “I do hope I am not too late,” he said. 

At the sight of him, Chanyeol grinned. 

It was Yixing: the kingdom’s magical seer and Jongin’s magic-trainer. His lessons were not only limited to Jongin, however, as he taught Chanyeol many of the spells that he knew now. That was why Chanyeol held so much appreciation in his heart for him. Well, that and the unconditional kindness that Yixing offered him and anyone he interacted with. 

Magic seers were individuals highly educated in the field of magic and all related. Each kingdom had one to stand in the Magic Court as a vital member and they would personally work with the ruler to help them improve their magical skills. The mod members could also receive valuable tips from the magic seer, and Yixing never left out Chanyeol, Sehun, and Kyungsoo. 

Despite all the countless hours Yixing spent with their prince, Chanyeol formed the closest bond with him. His mind was always parched with a thirst for knowledge and Yixing quenched it for him with new spells, knowledge of creatures, and even magical languages. Learning the symbols derived from different languages was one of Chanyeol’s absolute favorite ways to pass time. Especially when Yixing was there to encouragingly nod and validate him for being a fast learner. Chanyeol had only met a few other magic seers during the kingdom’s diplomatic events, but he firmly believed that there was no better seer than Yixing. 

“You are not late at all, Yixing,” Jongin said fondly. “We’ve only begun to discuss the Star Festival.” 

Yixing nodded in approval. “Perfect. After you are done briefing the others I can begin our lesson, Your Majesty. You will need to learn some more advanced spells for the festival as well as brush up on the ones you currently know.” 

“Of course.” 

For the next hour, Jongin described his new proposals for this year’s festival. Because it would take place on Friday evening, the preparations were divided among the days before so that everything would fall into place by the time the sun descended to its slumber on the last weekday. As he would be heavily occupied with his own affairs today, he asked Chanyeol to record his plans so he could relay it to the Magic Court for him. Chanyeol happily obliged. 

After the discussion was over and settled, the mod members were excused. 

The strings of Chanyeol’s heart tugged with the desire to remain in the study and partake in Yixing’s lesson, but he knew that he would only get in Jongin’s way. Throughout his whole life, he could never abstain from asking questions in any of his lessons—if he was not asking questions that meant he was not paying attention. Though that was quite common if he was sitting beside Sehun in their classes when they were younger, he recalled. 

For now, he decided to follow Sehun and watch him brew the potion for Kyungsoo. 

✩ ✩ ✩ 

The small bits of stardust that traveled from the glowing lanterns along the walls shimmered in the air around Chanyeol as he carefully ambled up the grand staircase with a platter of strudel. 

It was late at night, almost an hour away from Sunday, and he and his three close friends were in the prince’s bed-chamber playing cards, doing magic tricks, and laughing. Though they insisted that Yixing spend time with them, he politely declined and went to his own room to sleep. Jongin finally suggested that they have something delicious to make the night even more delightful, and after what Chanyeol considered to be an unfair game of rock-paper-scissors, he briskly walked down to the kitchens and requested an apple strudel, Jongin’s favorite pastry. 

As Chanyeol walked up the steps, he absently glanced at the chenille plants that sat atop the railings of the staircase, poised, with their limbs of leaves spilling over the sides. His eyes were caught by one of the limbs especially. It was dismally drooping and the leaves were shriveled, the usual olive green shade the color of mud due to its proximity with death. 

He frowned, and a mumble of a spell left his lips. “ _Vide, reen, vide_.”

As if an invisible hand was supporting it, the branch lifted in height and spirit as its healthy color returned, and the shape straightened itself out like a wrinkled elder who tricked time to return to fresh youth. Chanyeol smiled. 

Though it was simply a temporary fix, it still allowed the plant to preserve its whole beauty for a little longer. But no one would use the spell to revive the entire plant when its time would come—that would be onerous for the body. 

It was the regulation of the “law of nature,” named only several decades earlier, to control the motives behind the uses of magic. Children were taught from the beginning to never use magic callously or strenuously for it backfired and caused detriment to the sorcerer’s body. Everyone knew that magic had adapted to do this to limit sinister behavior after the rule of a few conspicuous rogue princes and princesses across the kingdoms, but it was far from a common topic of conversation. 

Chanyeol found his way to Jongin’s bedroom, knocked on the door, and entered. Upon his arrival, his friends’ eyes eagerly centered on the platter of dessert in his hands. 

“Finally you’re here!” Kyungsoo exclaimed, getting up from his cross-legged position on the bed. “We thought you were going to make us starve before allowing us a taste!” 

“I told you,” Sehun said, “he was probably flirting with the dazzling cook. What’s her name… Joohyun?” 

“The one who makes the red velvet cakes with fairy powder?”

“That’s the one. They’re delicious.” 

“Okay, enough!” Chanyeol interjected. “I was not flirting with her.” Because of his pride, he failed to tell them that the reason so was because she was more intimidating than any of the other women he had been able to sweep off their feet. Not that it mattered. “And I wanted to make sure nothing catastrophic happened with the strudel.” 

“Thank you for that, Chanyeol,” Jongin chuckled. He dipped his gold plated fork into the pastry and after he had the first bite, the others dug in. 

“I think,” Sehun expressed through a mouthful of sweetness, “that this is the most excellent way to start off our Star Festival week.” The others contentedly agreed, and as he opened his mouth to speak again, the door swung open on its hinges and almost smashed against the wall. 

The four men all started from the shock of the noise—Chanyeol jumped and his fork of strudel did the same out of his hand—but they were more shocked when they saw Yixing standing before them. 

“Yixing?” Jongin asked. He peered at their newcomer carefully, evidently puzzled. “What is it?” 

Yixing looked worse than Chanyeol had ever seen him. He was completely disheveled all over, signs of a tormented sleep and great distress. Dark locks of hair jabbed out in all directions from his head and his satin maroon robe hid his nightwear, which was ordinarily neat but now scruffy. 

“Your Majesty,” he breathed out, “I’ve had the most daunting dream.” His eyes were widened like a fawn caught in bright, blinding light and his face was gray. 

The men blinked and Jongin carefully replied, “Yixing, you probably had an unpleasant nightmare. I’m sure it’s nothing more than that. Would you like to sit with us?” He provided a warm smile. 

A single shake of the head and a firm “No” was the answer, catching the others off guard. Yixing continued, “That is not what I want nor need. What I need is my orbuculum. And I want you four to come with me.” 

Kyungsoo opened his mouth to reason with him, but Yixing’s next words halted him and sent a chill skittering up Chanyeol’s spine like a sickly salamander. 

“It is for the kingdom. I had a grave vision that can not be avoided.” 

Jongin frowned and exchanged a glance with his mod members who were all equally uncertain. He finally rose from his seat slowly and nodded at the seer. “Very well. If you say it is for the kingdom, we will come with you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have the first chapter! This one mainly set up the setting... I hope you enjoyed it though :)


	2. Chapter 2

The five of them were in the magic seer room now. The room appeared quite similar to the prince’s study, with tall shelves of spellbooks, ancient texts, and the like surrounding them from against the walls, but it was smaller in size and the grand desk was circular. Rather than in front of the windows, it stood in the center, right beneath the perfect hole that was the size of a chalice’s rim in the high ceiling and allowed a moonbeam to shine through. 

Chanyeol loved being in this room. The delicate aroma of the jasmine-scented candle on the windowsill was pleasant, and the prominence of magical energy here filled his veins with a delight that he could not explain. Possibly, it could be due to the wonders of all the mystical practices that took place here. This room also housed all of the knowledge and charms that kept the kingdom intact. Well, this room and the castle’s archive. 

Yixing pushed aside the clutter of various items that had been resting on the circular wooden table, including crisp pages that held potion recipes, yellowed and rolled scrolls, crimson rose petals, and clumps of dust that shined the color of emeralds. In contrast to his previous action, he gingerly set down the well-expected item of the night: his crystal ball. 

The ball gleamed like an amethyst that was completely smoothened to create an ideal sphere, and Chanyeol could see his purple reflection gazing back at him on its translucent surface. He had never seen Yixing scry before and though there was a slight air of tension surrounding them, he could not help but be eager. 

Yixing pulled a chair and sat in front of his orbuculum. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply while the four others cautiously stood around the table next to him, curiously looking between him and the ball. The seer murmured a spell before reaching out and letting his fingers expertly glide over the smooth crystal. He stared deeply into it, awaiting an image to bloom from its depths. Though the others could not glimpse anything, they could tell he had because his eyes brightened with alertness. 

Chanyeol thought the whole process was fascinating, but his blood ran cold when the seer’s face started to gray again. 

Yixing abruptly sat up. “No, no. It couldn’t be!” 

“What is it? What did you see?” Sehun anxiously inquired. He was answered with an unsettled expression. 

Yixing stood up and browsed through one of his bookshelves thoroughly, his pointer finger nimbly gliding across the spines as the others shifted to watch him, confused. 

“Yixing?” Jongin prompted.

He finally started to talk, his back still facing the others. 

“When one trains to become a magic seer for the ruler and the Magic Court,” Yixing began, “one of their requirements is to be familiar with all prophecies. Whether the prophecy is positive or negative, they must be learned so that they are prepared for the possible future of the kingdom. However…” His finger rested on the spine of a slim book and he pulled it out. He continued to speak as he flipped through it, perusing the contents of each page. “There was one prophecy. A prophecy that was too grim. Its likelihood has always been deemed as an unlikely occurrence compared to the others because of how dismal it was. Unfortunately…” He found the desired page and looked up at the others’ alarmed eyes. “That is the prophecy I have discerned.” 

The room fell silent. Everyone was scrambling to gather their thoughts, but they were just as hard to collect as dozens of pearls that helplessly clattered around on the floor after falling from a snapped necklace. Chanyeol finally spoke, clearing the cloud of silence that surrounded them. 

“What exactly does this prophecy state, Yixing?” he asked. 

“And what will that mean for Claradium?” Jongin added. 

Yixing slowly walked over to his orbuculum and placed the open book beside it. “The prophecy determines that in the midst of Claradium’s most thriving time, we will lose our light. It will all vanish. Everyone will be left in utter darkness no matter how much stardust or how many rays of the sun we try to use.” He sighed and sat down on his chair, despondent. “It is believed that this prophecy originated after Claradium’s Dark Age in a sense of retribution of a prince who became too greedy with what magic could bring him.” 

“Prince Hyungsik,” Jongin solemnly supplied, and Chanyeol shuddered. 

The Dark Age of power-lusting rulers was what birthed the “law of nature,” the bodily restriction of how much magic could be used at a time and for what purpose. Prince Hyungsik was the most infamous ruler of that era and also a shameful part of Claradium’s history. He was exceptionally skilled, but rather than use his talents at magic for the betterment of the people, which was the principle of magic, he was blinded by what his power could provide. His rapacious actions did not only create danger within Claradium’s walls—his vicious forces spread out to several kingdoms and wreaked terror. 

Fortunately, Hyungsik was overthrown. Jongin’s ascendants took over the throne and the family ruled for many decades by now, bringing stability and prosperity to Claradium, as well as making amends with the other kingdoms. The realization that this was their kingdom’s most flourishing time… 

With a small jerk of his head to clear the dreadful thoughts, Chanyeol glanced around the seer room to see how his friends were taking this information. 

Kyungsoo’s back was leaning against the bookshelf and his eyebrows were knitted together to form a deep frown. Sehun was inattentively flipping through the book of prophecies Yixing had laid on the table, but his lips were pressed together in a tight line. And Jongin, their prince, was starting to pace with a hand on his chin as he stared down at the floor, clearly troubled. 

“I believe that Hyungsik deserved to pay for his wrongdoings,” he stated, before looking at the four others. “But this prophecy is unfair for myself and the people! My ancestors and I have been doing nothing but the best for this kingdom. We are the ones who brought this current Bright Age! And my citizens do not deserve to sacrifice anything because of a wicked past ruler!” 

“Well, there _has_ to be something we can do!” Chanyeol quickly asserted. “Right, Yixing?” 

The seer remained silently seated. Though Yixing’s tired face held no emotion, Chanyeol could practically visualize his brain thinking and working hard like the turning gears of a grandfather clock. It seemed that the air in the room ceased to exist as the prince and his mod all held their breaths, anticipating an answer. 

Yixing finally nodded. “Yes, I believe there is something.” He stood up and instead of returning to one of the bookshelves, he reached over and grabbed one of the older scrolls on top of the table. “I recently visited our archive and found a document that could correlate with our dilemma,” he said as he unrolled it. His eyes roamed over its contents, and Chanyeol noticed the slightest glimmer of hope returning in them. “I think I have found the answer.” 

“What is it?” Kyungsoo immediately demanded out of stress. Everyone had come close to gather around Yixing now. 

“Luxarkus.” 

Chanyeol blinked. “Looks-ah- _what_?” 

Yixing repeated, “Luxarkus.” 

“The kingdom?” Jongin asked. 

“Yes. Luxarkus is one of the oldest kingdoms that still stands to this day,” Yixing explained. “There are several texts regarding it and in all of them, it has been documented to have the ‘prince of light.’” 

“And you think that this man can offer the said light?” Chanyeol asked. 

“But the name could only be a title,” Sehun pointed out. “A title out of honor.” 

“Historical records actually suggest that the ‘light’ may be for tangible reasons,” reasoned Yixing. 

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to find out. I will do anything necessary to help our kingdom, it is my responsibility,” Jongin affirmed. “What do you think we should do?” 

Yixing looked at the scroll for the last time before placing it down and answering. “I believe that the upcoming Star Festival is when our light will be lost because that is our best time. I advise that you leave Claradium on Monday morning to travel to Luxarkus, as the kingdom is not very close. You can meet with the royals there and discuss if there is any way they can help us to save our kingdom.” 

“How long will it take to get to Luxarkus?” 

“About a day and a half.” 

All eyes widened, but Jongin quickly regained his thoughts and began to shortly pace again. He then stood his ground. 

“I will do it,” he declared. “I will go discuss and negotiate to get aid if this is the only way to save our kingdom.” 

“We will come too,” Chanyeol said. He motioned to himself and Kyungsoo and Sehun. “As your mod, it is rightfully our duty to help you. And we want to save our kingdom as well.” 

Sehun and Kyungsoo nodded firmly to confirm his statement, and Jongin gave a beautiful smile of gratitude. They looked back at their seer, whose lips were finally curled into a small smile too. 

“Then it is settled,” he said. “A letter will be sent to notify them. Tomorrow, you will pack.”   
  


✩ ✩ ✩

  
Instead of the first sequence of preparations for the Star Festival, Chanyeol and his friends spent Sunday planning and packing for the trip to Luxarkus. The Magic Court was notified about the sudden emergency and Jongin trusted them to continue the planned arrangements up until Friday evening to the best of their ability. Though the group planned to watch their time wisely since the journey was long, the complete uncertainties of what lay ahead loomed over them like a black cloud shooting down chilling blasts of ice. 

During the first half of the day, they stayed shut in Jongin’s study, thoroughly examining a broad map on his desk and plotting which courses to travel to get to the other kingdom most efficiently and with the least time lost. After they completed drawing routes and writing notes, Yixing knocked and entered the study, carefully cradling a small pouch in his hands. 

“I want to maintain contact with all of you despite the distance between us,” he said, “so you can update me on the matter and I can still offer whatever help I can.” He opened the pouch and emptied it by placing its shining contents on the desk—four twinkling gems. 

Chanyeol’s eyes widened and he gazed down at them in awe. 

Yixing explained, “I’m going to give each of you a crystal. The spell that must be recited is a simple one, and after doing so you will be able to see and hear me from my own crystal.” 

“Ah, yes,” Jongin nodded, understanding. “They’re a pleasure to use when traveling for diplomatic affairs rather than sending letters.” 

“Precisely.” 

The seer handed each man a distinct crystal. Kyungsoo received his first, a moonstone that was smooth and cool between his fingers. Sehun was given a carnelian the color of a dragon’s fiery breath. When Chanyeol received his own, he held it dearly. It was a bright yellow topaz, and he admiringly recalled how the topaz was his birthstone. Lastly, Jongin was given a zircon, which glinted on his palm in the shape of a unicorn’s turquoise teardrop. 

They graciously thanked Yixing and then went to their own rooms to pack. 

By the time the moon rose to its position in the dark sky, the four men were in Jongin’s bed-chamber just like the night before. But this time there were no card games or silly spells cast for a simple laugh. It was all replaced with a serious conversation, except dessert remained. They were eating tasty chocolate pudding to fill their stomachs before a restful sleep. 

“Everyone made sure their horse is in good condition, right?” Chanyeol asked from where he lazed on the bed. The others confirmed they did so and he nodded, pleased. 

“Where is Yixing?” Sehun asked. 

“He’ll be here any minute. He wanted to consult his orbuculum one last time before we go to bed,” Kyungsoo answered as he scraped the last bit of pudding off his plate with his fork. 

Jongin was absently staring into the fireplace, watching the fire’s tongues lick at the logs and air without direction or purpose. “I hope that everything to come during this week will be alright. I can’t help but feel nervous about our trip,” he finally confessed. 

Chanyeol hastily sat up, concern washing over his countenance. “Oh, don’t be worried, Jongin. We all like to travel together so that part should be rather fun than nerve-wracking,” he reassured. “Besides, you’re a charming speaker. Once we get to, uh, Looks-ah…” 

“ _Luxarkus_?” 

“Yes.” He brushed it off but mentally noted how he would need to fix his fumbled pronunciation before they reached the kingdom. “Once we get there you can easily sway them with your charms. There’s nothing to be worried about, it’s an older kingdom anyway.” 

Sehun chortled from where he sat on the other side of the bed. “What do you mean by that, Chanyeol?” 

“Well, the people there are probably old or something,” he attempted to reason. His friends started laughing though, but the giggle that escaped Jongin’s lips made him grin wide. 

The door creaked as it slowly opened and Yixing peered inside with a smile. “I’m happy to hear you guys laughing,” he said sweetly. 

Chanyeol folded his long legs into a cross-legged posture to allow their newcomer space to sit. After Yixing sat himself down comfortably, his eyes glanced over the others. 

“You all are in perfect shape so I know the journey will be fine,” he said. “I wish you all the luck I possibly can, and please contact me if you come across any trouble.” 

“We will, Yixing,” Jongin affectionately assured. He then teased, “Chanyeol managed to convince us that everything will be fine, so there will be nothing to worry about.” 

Chanyeol humorously shrugged with a smug smile, inciting a laugh from Yixing. 

“Wonderful,” he chuckled. “You all should be getting some shut-eye soon then.” 

“Yes, you’re right,” Jongin agreed and stood up, indicating the others should do the same and depart. 

As they gave each other final words of encouragement, Yixing spoke up again. “I would like to tell you guys one more thing,” he said, gaining their attention. “After I scried and rechecked documents from the archive, I believe a solution for our kingdom won’t be the only thing you find.” 

The men frowned and gathered closer to him, drawn in by his leading words like moths attracted to a nightlight. 

“You may find a secret that uncovers part of the history of magic and even our kingdoms.” 

  
✩ ✩ ✩

  
Breakfast was served early the next morning and after it was completed, the four men mounted their horses and bid farewell to Yixing and select members of the Magic Court. Jongin looked to have growing doubts as his horse strode further and further away from the castle, but Chanyeol assured him that the kingdom was entrusted in the right hands during their leave. 

Jongin was no coward, Chanyeol was fully aware of that, but he understood the uneasiness that was traveling through the prince’s body just as they were traveling the roads across the kingdoms. They were all treading through uncharted waters, and no records in the archive documented a situation like this occurring before. Even with a plan, Jongin was leading them through the uncertain waves of the new ocean, and Chanyeol hoped that the prince knew how much he trusted his benevolent ruler. 

They traveled all of Monday, occasionally taking breaks at taverns when their hips became slightly sore and their stomachs groused with hunger. But the atmosphere was always pleasant as Chanyeol and Sehun talked almost non-stop and Jongin laughed at their stories. Kyungsoo only supplied a few comments here and there, as usual, but he quietly enjoyed the humor of his friends. 

After spending the night at a sumptuous inn, they rode swiftly for the first half of Tuesday until they reached the tall wrought-iron gates at the entrance of Luxarkus. Chanyeol inhaled an expectant breath, and the gates swung open to allow them in. They strode in on their horses, and a man with friendly eyes and a dark cloak draped around his shoulders greeted them.

“Your Majesty.” He bowed. “You and your mod come from Claradium, yes?” 

Jongin confirmed so with a warm smile, and the man instructed them to follow him to the castle. He walked in brisk strides, which was quite surprising for a man of his age—“What did I tell you about these people,” Chanyeol carefully whispered to Sehun—and their horses loped right behind. As they proceeded, each of them gazed around at the foreign kingdom curiously. 

Luxarkus was in perfect, healthy condition, but the buildings and thoroughfares weren’t built as modernly as Claradium’s. They were beautifully traditional. The people bustling around on the walkways or in carriages on the roads gazed at the newcomers with either awe or scrutiny. Chanyeol tried to look as friendly as possible. 

The presence of magic still lingered in the air, but it inspired a different sensation within them. A sensation that was more… obscure and hard to explain. But that was the beauty of magic; every kingdom had its own unique type. 

They finally reached the castle, a massive structure that was extensively large in height just as it was wide. They crossed the drawbridge that was poised above a moat with water the color of sapphires, where something shimmered in its depths, and the four men dismounted their horses once they were within the castle grounds. 

“Do not fret, the stable boy will tend to your horses. You may leave them here and I will escort you to the throne room,” the cloaked man told them, and they obliged. 

They walked through the halls of the castle, admiring the rich tapestries and crisp red carpets under their boots and once they reached the room, the man stood his ground and bowed again, this time remaining in that position. 

“You and your men may enter, Your Majesty. I will now return to make sure your horses have been taken care of.” 

“Thank you very much for your service,” Jongin cordially replied. “We appreciate your assistance.” He then pushed open the doors grandly and marched in, Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Sehun close behind him. 

The throne room was stupendous in quality and size. The images of the stained-glass windows that stretched to the heights of the high ceiling painted themselves in vivid colors onto the linoleum tiles, which glimmered like they had been washed only recently. It almost felt that rather than entering an impressive castle, they had walked into a magnificent cathedral. 

“Wow,” Chanyeol voiced, in awe, and he could hear his voice lightly echo throughout the grand space. 

The sound of shoes stepping on the tiles was audible in the quiet room and the four Claradians turned around. There in front of them stood a man wearing all white, from the immaculate suit jacket and button-up dress shirt to his pants. A silver crown rested on his jet black hair, snatching at bits of light that filtered through the windows to make it glint like stars in the midnight sky. The side of his lips was curled up into a simper. 

He raised his arms. 

“Welcome to Luxarkus,” he announced. “I am Baekhyun. The Prince of Light.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luxarkus = looks · är · kôs
> 
> If you couldn’t tell, I made Baekhyun look the way he did during Overdose era! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

The night before their journey, Chanyeol’s imagination had allowed him to create numerous possibilities of what this kingdom could throw at them, from realistic to far-fetched. But never could he have predicted something as simple as this. 

The ruler of Luxarkus was not old after all, in fact, he looked to be the same age as themselves. Not only was he incredibly young like Claradium’s own prince, but he was as handsome as the devil dressed in the clothing of angels. 

Chanyeol gulped, but he bowed respectfully with his three friends. 

“We are eternally grateful that you have allowed us to visit, prince,” Jongin said graciously. “And I am Prince Jongin of Claradium. These are the members of my mod, Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, Sehun.” Each man supplied a courteous nod at the mention of their name, and Chanyeol threw in his dimpled smile along with it. 

Baekhyun bowed as well. “It is a pleasure to meet you all. My mod…” 

The doors of the throne room opened, and two men followed the gust of air that drifted in. Both of their heads were held high and they were dressed elegantly like Baekhyun. 

“Ah, there are the members of my mod.” Baekhyun smiled. “This is Jongdae and Minseok. Our guests here are Prince Jongin and his mod.” 

The two men bowed to them, and Jongin began to present their situation. As he explained the reason for their sudden arrival, Chanyeol discreetly observed the Luxarkan mod. 

Jongdae had black hair with an exposed forehead, the same as Sehun but unlike Baekhyun, whose forehead was visible through the large part of his bangs. He wore an outfit that was similar to his prince’s, though his own was dark and lacked as many designs on the shoulders. Minseok, who stood at the same height as him, had hair the color of a tawny owl and wore a royal suit that was cobalt blue. 

To Chanyeol, Minseok and Jongdae’s presences were just as formidable as their prince’s. Though the people of Claradium also carried themselves in ways that inspired respect, they were easily approachable. He guessed that was due to how the magic of each ruler’s energy filtered through the kingdom in countless ways, including the persona of the general public. But everyone was unique obviously, such as the man who had led them to this very room. The man with kind eyes. Chanyeol was not doubting Baekhyun and his mod’s kindness, but he would turn the world upside down rather than risk asking any of them a stupid question. 

Once Jongin finished relaying their situation and how they needed help, Baekhyun nodded slowly. 

“I see,” he murmured, his fingers holding his chin. 

But rather than looking at the sleek floor while contemplating, his eyes were locked on Jongin. Chanyeol did not know if this was intentional, and the eyeliner that rimmed Baekhyun’s eyes only sharpened the stare. 

“We shall go to my study,” Baekhyun declared. He then leaned in with a smile bordering roguish and said more quietly, “We don’t want to discuss while possible ears lurk the castle.” 

So they all followed him across the throne room and through the doorway of a new room. Baekhyun’s study had enough space for all seven of them to comfortably stand. There was only one bookshelf and the rest of the books sat atop the desks, which were against the walls that surrounded the room in a circular manner, along with jars and wooden cabinets. Small tapestries made of fabric the color of marigolds designed the wall and the largest table was placed in the middle of the room underneath the chandelier of lit candles. 

That’s where the man already there was standing. He wore a neat brown cloak over his clothes and was examining a small piece of parchment that lay beside an open book. 

“Ah, you’re here,” Baekhyun said to him. He turned to the others and raised his arm to indicate towards the man. “Everyone, this is Junmyeon, my magic seer.” 

Although Junmyeon gave a smile that was polite and quite admirable, there was a stern look in his eyes that gave the impression he was not prone to tomfoolery during his work. Chanyeol suddenly missed their own seer Yixing. 

“Alright!” Baekhyun now stood in the front of the room and clapped his hands once. “Let us discuss what can be done for Claradium.” 

“First, I do want to thank you for offering to help us in our dire time,” Jongin said, stepping forward and placing his hands on the large table. 

Baekhyun shook his head. “There is no need. I am always fine with helping those who are respectful.” 

Jongin began, “What we need to discuss is not only how sufficient amounts of light can be produced, but how we can transfer that back to Claradium if we are successful.” 

The large group negotiated what could be done for a while before the subject changed to the question of what magical resources they could utilize. 

“How long do your people have before the lights disappear?” asked Jongdae. 

Chanyeol answered, “Based on the prophecy it would be around the time of our Star Festival, which is this Friday evening.” 

“Wait a minute,” Kyungsoo stated. He looked at Baekhyun. “I do not mean any offense when I ask this, but what are you able to really do? We have come here because of the title you and the princes before you hold, but can you legitimately help us with this?” 

The room fell silent. 

The dark-haired prince remained standing still with his arms crossed, but his eyes flitted towards his mod and seer, and Chanyeol watched all their eyes meet as if they were discussing their next action with only the emotions on their face. Jongdae and Junmyeon seemed indifferent to the matter, leaving it to their ruler’s ultimate decision, though it was apparent that they were not going to let down their walls too easily. Minseok, however, looked completely skeptical, but he said nothing, keeping his mouth closed. 

Baekhyun finally looked back at the Claradians. He cleared his throat. 

“Very well,” he said. “I will have to admit something quite… revealing then. I guess I will begin where it started.” He slowly paced towards them as he started to speak. “Centuries ago, there were numerous sorcerers who had unlimited control over natural elements. One of these sorcerers could control the waves of the sea, another could control the lightning during a thunderstorm, and so on. Those with this type of power were called Naturals.” He glanced up and amusedly smiled once he saw Chanyeol’s blinking, surprised expression. 

Chanyeol _was_ surprised; he’d read so much about the roots of magic yet never learned of these extraordinary powers. To control elements such as the examples given and not even receive a nick on the body was unbelievable and unheard of. 

Baekhyun continued, “Although Naturals were considered impressive, they were detested by the overwhelming majority that lacked these rare abilities. Thus, Luxarkus was built. It was one of the few kingdoms established as a haven for the people with these powers. The rulers? They were my ascendants, and they were Naturals themselves. Their power has been passed down through generations and generations…” 

He was speaking slower now, capturing the Claradians as if they were fish in a clear river and his words were a barbed fish hook. Chanyeol did not realize he was holding his breath when Baekhyun finally concluded: 

“I have the ability to create and control light.”

After a moment of stunned silence, Sehun found his voice first. “Can you control it at will whenever you please?” he asked, incredulous. 

In response, Baekhyun lifted his hands and cupped them together as one scooping water would. The men watched in awe as a bulb of lustrous golden light appeared, hovering over his palms. With a snap of his lean fingers, the light disappeared as fast as it had come. A complacent smirk now dressed his face as he looked at the Claradians. 

“I’m not the only Natural in this room,” he said. He pointed at Minseok. “Minseok’s ascendants are ice-benders who’ve worked closely with my family for many, many years. Would you please demonstrate, Minseok?” 

Chanyeol noticed that Minseok did not seem entirely thrilled with his own exposure, but he hid it well. He lifted a hand, somewhat begrudgingly, and fresh snowflakes flurried above his palm. 

Baekhyun continued, “If you haven’t inferred by now, these powers do not impose any tolls on our bodies. It is completely free and part of who we are. In fact, if I really desired to, I _could_ power a whole kingdom with my light.” 

Chanyeol and Sehun exchanged a glance. 

Now Jongin had questions. “So has this been the reason Luxarkus has kept to themselves during the past several years?” 

Baekhyun nodded and then raised his shoulders in a slight shrug. “And simply out of convenience—we’ve never had a reason to reach out to other kingdoms.” 

The other prince peered at him. “You only met us today, yet you trusted us with this information. How do you know you can trust us?” 

Baekhyun gazed into his eyes with equal intensity, if not more. He finally answered, “Because I can sense sincerity within the four of you rather than maleficence.” He then laughed. “You’re desperate to save your kingdom anyway, I don’t believe you necessarily have the choice of committing a betrayal.” Seeing their confounded expressions, he smiled. “You all are in need of a rest after your long journey. Minseok, would you please take the Claradians to the solar, where they can have the luxury they deserve as well as privacy? Thank you.” 

Allowing no more room for questions, Baekhyun strode out of the study, and Chanyeol watched as he did. Minseok stepped over to them and bowed to Jongin. “Follow me.” 

They followed Minseok out, leaving Jongdae and Junmyeon in the study where they began to converse quietly, and out of the throne room to the lavish castle halls. They walked in silence for a few moments before Minseok started speaking. 

“The reason why you guys haven’t heard of Naturals before is most likely because less and less sorcerers have been born with these unique abilities as the centuries pass.” He soberly lowered his eyes. “This is what has become of us for our own safety.”

“Please do not worry, Minseok,” Chanyeol kindly said. “We’re not here to cause any trouble. You, your prince, and all the others are not deserving of any harm.” The group stopped walking as they had arrived at their room. 

Minseok lifted his eyes to see Chanyeol’s friendly smile, and there was appreciation in them. But it vanished as suddenly as a striking bolt of lightning as he turned himself to face them directly. “All of you must mean that,” he affirmed. “Prince Baekhyun is the last descendant of the Byun line, meaning he is more valuable than any before. _Nothing_ can happen to him.” After a warning glance, he stalked off with his head held high.

The Claradians were left standing in front of the solar, baffled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapters will be longer! ♡


	4. Chapter 4

“What was that about?” Kyungsoo asked as he sat down on the plush duvet of his bed. 

The solar had four beds, the perfect number for them, each with luxurious curtains the color of plums and sour cherries hanging from the canopy above. Chanyeol appreciated the room’s cozy atmosphere because of the warm rays of the late sun that trickled in through the windows. And Baekhyun was right: the room’s location in the castle provided guests with complete privacy. 

“Beats me,” said Sehun, plopping down onto the bed in the corner. “What does it matter? Minseok, Baekhyun, and the other two are all around the same size _and_ smaller than us. Well, except for you, Kyungsoo.” 

“Hey!” 

“Kidding. Maybe he’s wary because he’s a Natural himself?” 

“Natural,” Chanyeol mumbled. He rubbed his face before looking at his friends. “I can’t believe we learned of this only _today_. These types of people have been around for centuries.” 

Jongin suddenly perked up. “Do you think this is the secret that Yixing predicted we’d find?” 

“That’s a prospect,” Kyungsoo replied. “Speaking of, should we send a call to update him?”

“Excellent idea.” 

An excited smile instantly grew on Chanyeol’s face. “I can call him!” He dug into the inside pocket of his black overcoat and took out his yellow topaz. He sat on the bed closest to the window and the other men came over to hover around him. He drew in a breath and recited the spell softly. “ _Vocatio crisnem_.” 

A movement took place on the crystal, similar to a gentle ripple on a calm pond, and the image of their magic seer formed on the surface of the yellow topaz. 

Chanyeol beamed. “Hello, Yixing! Oh, you’re upside down.” 

“I know, you’re holding your crystal upside down,” Yixing replied kindly. “Turn it around.” 

“Okay.” Chanyeol rotated the crystal between his fingers with the help of his other hand and inspected it. “It’s not working.” 

“Turn it the other way.” 

He did so. “Now you’re bloody sideways.” 

“Alright, Chanyeol, I’ll turn my crystal.” 

“Alright, me too.” Chanyeol rotated it for the third time but Yixing quickly spoke up. 

“Oh, no, you stay!” 

“I stay?” 

“Chanyeol—”

“ _HELLO_?” 

Jongin snatched the crystal from his fingers and started acquainting Yixing, who was now right-side up, while Sehun and Kyungsoo snickered at Chanyeol in disbelief. 

“So that’s why they’ve documented a prince of light,” Yixing concluded after Jongin finished. “He is a Natural that possesses the ability of light. And his mod member has the ability to control ice?” 

“Yes,” Jongin confirmed.

“That’s very interesting…” Yixing was stroking his chin, deep in thought. “I will look into older records and see if I can find anything more.” 

“Thank you, please let us know if you do. Oh, and, Yixing?” Jongin said seriously, “Keep this a secret amongst the five of us. The Luxarkan people have kept to themselves partly because of this. Until we’re sure of what happens next, I think it’s best we keep this knowledge confidential.” 

Yixing nodded. “Not a word will escape my lips. I promise.” 

Jongin thanked him, and with a farewell to the prince and mod, the seer disappeared. 

“Now what?” Sehun asked. 

“I think we should figure out a way to find how reliable Baekhyun’s light source is,” Chanyeol proposed. 

“That’s right,” Jongin agreed, lowering himself to sit beside the others. 

“Maybe we could ask him to somehow prove the extent of his abilities? He did say he has the ability to power a whole kingdom, but I don’t know if he was bluffing to get our attention,” Kyungsoo said. 

“I suddenly had a thought,” Sehun declared and straightened himself to see the others’ faces. “The lights are all submissive to Baekhyun. If he is powering the lights of the kingdom and anything happens to him, the lights would go out with him, wouldn’t they?” 

Chanyeol pressed his lips together and glanced at their prince. 

Jongin’s eyes were on the floor of the solar, but there was a calculating glint in them. “Keep that thought, for now, Sehun,” he responded. “We’ll first see how dependable his light is and then think about that. In the meantime, let’s hope that nothing happens to him not only for our sake but for Minseok’s as well.” 

A knock on the door was produced, and Kyungsoo stood up to walk over and open the door. On the other side stood a male servant, who bowed respectfully. “Prince Baekhyun will be having supper shortly,” he notified. “Once you’re ready I will escort you to the dining hall.” 

The four Claradians exchanged glances before standing up. It was time to enact their little plan.

✩ ✩ ✩

The dining hall of the castle was magnificent, as expected, and it was similar in size to the dining hall of the Claradians’ own castle. But instead of grand music filling the room as they ate, a violin and its bow hovered in the corner due to a casted spell and performed lovely melodies, which Chanyeol enjoyed nonetheless. 

“The gravy is excellent. May someone please pass it to me?” he asked over his plate of food. 

Jongdae offered a warm smile to him along with the dish of gravy, but Minseok and Junmyeon’s expressions remained stoic. Baekhyun, who was seated at the head of the dining table, watched with slight amusement. The Luxarkans sat on his right while the Claradians were at the left of the long table. Jongin sat closest to him, and he was the one to start the awaited conversation. 

“Baekhyun, my mod and I have discussed the situation with the addition of our knowledge of your powers. As we’re unsure of other solutions at the moment, and if you do not mind, we would like to know if there is a way for you to prove how sufficient your light is,” he told him. 

The Luxarkan prince maintained eye contact with him before removing his napkin from his lap and setting it on the table as he straightened himself. He raised his hands to cup them together as he had demonstrated before in the study and a ball of light began to form above his palms. “I will give each one of you an orb,” he informed. He produced four and had them float to each Claradian. 

With wonderment, Chanyeol lifted his hand to the glowing orb and cautiously wrapped his fingers around it. It did not burn him as he had initially expected, rather it warmed his hand comfortably as he firmed his grip and inspected it. If it was looked at without scrutiny, it appeared to have no start or end of shape because of its radiance, but Chanyeol noticed the vague outline of the sphere. He watched his friends roll the smooth orbs between their fingers with the same awe he possessed, and Baekhyun continued speaking. 

“You will carry these around with you wherever you please. You can examine them and do whatever you wish with them. After you are done, you can inform me of your thoughts.” 

“This is very appreciated,” Jongin replied. “Thank you.” 

Baekhyun smiled in response. 

Chanyeol placed his ball of light in his pocket. The golden light faintly glowed through the fabric, and he protectively rested his hand over the warm bulge even when dinner was over and everyone left for their beds.

✩ ✩ ✩

The next morning, breakfast was as delicious as supper the night before. While all four of the Claradians were present, only Baekhyun and his mod were seated at the dining table. After everyone was finished sipping refreshing drinks and eating tasty dishes including blackberry scones and airy soufflés, Jongdae approached Jongin as Baekhyun briskly exited the hall after providing a courteous but indifferent nod. 

“Prince Baekhyun will be busy this morning, Your Majesty,” he said, “but I would be happy to show you and your mod around our castle.” With appreciation, the Claradians accepted the tour and began to follow him. 

A conversation was easily started with the amiable man, and the others took the ease of the conversation as an indication that they were free to ask questions. The questions first regarded the locations within the castle, but the subject changed soon. 

“Are Minseok and your prince the only Naturals here or are there more?” Kyungsoo asked. 

“Minseok and Prince Baekhyun are the only ones among our Magic Court,” Jongdae answered. “However, there are several handfuls of our citizens who are Naturals themselves. It’s simply their way of life.” 

“Speaking of Minseok,” Sehun spoke up. “Does he… dislike us?” 

Chanyeol chortled. “Yeah, he doesn’t really look pleased when we’re around.” 

No one mentioned Minseok’s serious warning from the previous day. 

Jongdae chuckled and shook his head. “Oh, do not worry, I’m positive that Minseok does not have any hateful feelings towards you. I think…” He paused, considering the right words to say. “I think he’s just on his guard since he has special abilities. Our kingdom has not had special visitors in a long time, and he is the closest to the prince too. I believe that’s all it is.” 

The Claradians hummed and nodded in understanding, and the conversation moved forward. Jongdae asked if they could explain the objectives of their Star Festival and as Jongin did so, Chanyeol became captivated by the architecture. He craned his neck to view the ceilings and the colorful stained-glass windows, admiring the gothic style of the castle. His eyes traveled a trail across a beam and down the tall, robust column that supported it, finally landing on a corner nearby one of the large staircases. He noticed a wooden door, quite shabbier compared to its pristine surroundings, and squinted to read the carved words. 

_Archive: Do Not Enter_

Chanyeol was interested. 

Glancing around at his surroundings and then at the others, he cleared his throat. “Um, if it is alright with you guys, I will be heading back to the solar to use the restroom. I might rest in my bed afterward—I don’t do well after long journeys.” Never the most confident liar, he became conscious of himself so that no blunders would give him away. 

Sehun, who was well aware of Chanyeol’s ability to handle journeys the best out of the four friends, watched him carefully. “Are you alright? Do you want me to come with you?” 

Chanyeol quickly shook his head. “I’m fine! A lack of sleep from last night might be catching up to me too. You lot can continue the tour without me.” 

“Will you be able to find your way around this big castle?” Jongdae asked. 

“Of course, don’t worry,” Chanyeol assured. “I’m sure I can get around.” He gave a big smile before turning on his heel and striding away. 

He turned the corner and while making sure he was out of their sights, crouched down beside a column to pretend to tie his boot in case someone approached him from the other side. Once the group had walked far enough down the hall and he could not hear the echo of their voices, he stood up and went to the archive door. 

He gripped the black handle of the door and pulled, but it did not budge. Chanyeol was not surprised that it was locked, but he wasn’t certain if an unlocking spell would work. It would not hurt to try though, so he quietly recited, “ _Rekludo_.” A click was heard and he grabbed the handle and pulled again. This time, it opened. Special doors usually required advanced spells to unlock them, so he was not expecting the simple spell to work. But he was definitely not complaining. 

He stepped in and was greeted by a stone staircase that winded far down, too far to see how long it was. As soon as he placed his foot on the top step, the door behind him shut closed and left him in pitch-black darkness. Chanyeol stilled; the hairs on the back of his neck had risen. He squinted, but no shapes were visible in the darkness. Gulping, he clumsily continued to descend the stairs, cursing the lack of a railing he could grip for security. He finally stopped and leaned against the wall. He knew continuing in the dark would be dangerous and he preferred to reach the bottom with all of his bones intact and on his feet rather than his ass. 

Suddenly, he became aware of the warmth that was pressed against his thigh. He had Baekhyun’s orb of light. He carefully took it out of his pocket, and the staircase was instantly illuminated by the golden light. He smiled in relief and finished the descent down the winding staircase easily. 

When he reached the solid ground, he saw a whole library that stretched far with many tall shelves carrying clusters of organized contents. He noticed that compared to Claradium’s archive, this library contained more scrolls of parchment rather than bound books. He looked around for a light switch, but when he failed he noted that Baekhyun most likely supplied the lights himself when visiting the archive. He raised the bright orb in his hand to see as much of the library as he could and began to walk through. 

From passing through a few shelves, it did not take him long to realize that rather than sorted alphabetically, everything was sorted by themes. He maneuvered through and read the labels of the shelves until he finally stopped at one. The small plaque of a label was marked as _Other Kingdoms_. With his curiosity sparked, Chanyeol placed the orb of light on the slim table that was lined against the shelf—it thankfully did not roll around—and browsed through the scrolls. After skimming through the contents of two scrolls, one’s ribbon labeled _Roseval_ and the other’s _Haeradith_ , he understood the theme of this shelf. This section held information about Luxarkus’ relations with other kingdoms. 

His breath came out in faster puffs, anticipation building within his body with the realization. He quickly replaced the scrolls and walked along the shelf speedily, looking for only one scroll. Claradium’s. 

He trailed his index finger along the curves of the old parchments and it finally paused once he spotted a red ribbon labeled with the name of his kingdom. He picked the scroll up gingerly and turned it in his hand to examine it. It was significantly smaller than the others. He slid off the silk ribbon and unrolled it, reading over its content.

_The Prince of Claradium, by the name of Hyungsik, is wicked. Though the sins committed against us cannot be salvaged, we pray that the Gods will bring punishment upon the kingdom accordingly._

Chanyeol was shocked. He ran his tongue over his lips, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. He blinked before rolling up the scroll and reaching back to the shelf, rummaging through for any more information. Were there any more records for Claradium? This couldn’t be the only one, right? 

Without warning, the light of the orb diminished. He gasped. He was completely surrounded by blackness once again. Though his mind was fogged with confusion, the only thing strikingly clear was that he had to get out of here. He hastily pocketed the Claradium scroll and then grabbed onto the sides of the table, beginning to shuffle alongside it. That was when he heard footsteps that didn’t belong to him. His eyes widened in the darkness, not in an attempt to see better but instead out of alarm, and he quickened his pace. He could not discern the direction of the echoing footsteps, but they started getting louder. 

Someone was walking towards him. 

Chanyeol abandoned the table and walked quickly. Panicking, his feet moved faster at their own will, wishing to race him out of this situation until his foot collided with something. With a yelp, his body lurched forward and out of his control. He closed his eyes tight and braced himself, expecting to hit the ground. 

Suddenly, his fall was stopped. The light in the library returned at the same time. 

Growing aware of the sudden light flaring through his eyelids and that the top of his body was awkwardly resting in someone’s arms, he slowly opened his eyes. He looked up straight into the face of Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun was peering down at him closely. His face was only inches away, so near that Chanyeol could notice the slightest clumps in his eyeliner. Chanyeol’s face erupted into a big grin. “Thank you, Your Maj—!” 

The prince pushed him off harshly, causing Chanyeol to fly back and nearly slam onto the ground in the shape of a starfish. He managed to regain his footing and placed a hand on his chest as he breathed hard, frowning at the other as he did. 

Baekhyun was wearing a white suit just like the previous day. The only difference was the absence of his silver crown this time. He simply asked, “What are you doing down here?” 

Chanyeol blinked. He had no way of explaining why he was in the restricted archive, which he knew appeared very suspicious, and glimpsed around as if their surroundings would provide him with the words he was searching for. He then remembered what had gotten him in the bewildering situation in the first place and turned back to the other. “The light you gave us went out!” he declared. “I thought it was supposed to be sufficient.” 

Baekhyun smiled. “You guys never set how long you wanted me to keep the light alive.” 

Chanyeol was flabbergasted at his behavior. “Why do that? Do you expect to help Claradium like that?” 

The prince merely shrugged. “This was only a test. It won’t necessarily correlate to the light I give your kingdom. Besides”—he stared at him pointedly—“I think you were done using it, anyway.” 

Chanyeol glowered down at the other but quickly returned to a neutral expression. He didn’t want to get into any conflict, not with him. Having nothing else to say, he excused himself and politely bowed before he exited the archive. 

He briskly made his way up the winding staircase and then the stairs that led up to the hall of the bedrooms. Once inside the solar, he took off his overcoat and draped it across the chair beside his bed, which he crawled into, trying to get as comfortable as he could underneath the blanket. 

He didn’t know if his heart was racing because of the long walk, the close proximity to Baekhyun, or because the scroll was still in his pocket.


	5. Chapter 5

The small click of the door was loud in the silent atmosphere of the solar. With effort, Chanyeol brought his hands to his face to rub his heavy eyelids as the door opened, and the moderate level of his friends’ voices felt deafening in his groggy skull. 

“So you actually slept?” Sehun asked, incredulous. 

“Are you alright, Yeol?” Kyungsoo asked in a light-hearted manner. 

Chanyeol only replied with a deep hum and slowly pushed his blanket off as he lazily sat up and started to adjust the brown curls of his hair. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” he mumbled, his deep voice husky from the nap he just had. Remembering everything that had occurred before, he sharply looked up at his friends. “My light went out!” 

“Ours did too,” Jongin said. “We realized when we had finished the tour.” 

“We have to talk to Baekhyun about this, right?” Kyungsoo inquired. 

“I already confronted him about it. But he didn’t seem to take me seriously,” Chanyeol explained. He decided it was better to keep the circumstances of the confrontation to himself for the time being. But the chill that penetrated his body when he read Claradium’s scroll had not left his body, no matter how hard he’d wrapped his blanket around him before he fell asleep. 

“I will talk to him myself right now,” Jongin stated. “I expect the conversation to go differently since we are both princes.” He left the room, and Kyungsoo rose from where he sat on his own bed at the same time. 

“I’m going to the castle’s library. I want to see if there’s anything more we can learn about magic after the whole Natural thing,” he said. 

“Sure,” Chanyeol responded. _I doubt he’ll find anything as startling as_ I _did_ , he thought. 

Kyungsoo then exited, shutting the door behind him and leaving Sehun and Chanyeol alone in the room. Chanyeol now turned to his best friend. 

“I know you believe there’s more to it than me coming up here to see some dreams,” he chuckled.

Sehun smiled. “I definitely do. What were you really up to?” 

So, Chanyeol told him how he spotted the archive and snuck in, how he found the daunting scroll and took it, and finally concluded it with his run-in with Baekhyun. When he finished, Sehun chortled. 

“No wonder you actually napped after all that,” he commented. He then intently leaned forward, breaking from his previous lounging position across the bed. “Do you think the people of Luxarkus cast the prophecy on Claradium then? And does Baekhyun have any effect on that?” 

“Honestly, it does look like it.” Chanyeol’s fingers fiddled with the small piece of parchment, which he had taken out to show Sehun. “They want us to be punished because of our past prince. Isn’t that what Yixing described as the reason for the prophecy?” He grabbed the glass of water from his bedside table and took a swig. “I don’t know about Baekhyun. This document looks to be written long, long ago, but then again, Baekhyun didn’t seem to care about the light incident regardless of it not being a big deal.” 

Sehun produced a short hum. “He probably knows you have the scroll in your possession, though.” 

“Oh, he _definitely_ knows,” Chanyeol replied. “He is… clever. He probably saw what I was doing and made our lights go out on purpose.” 

“Oh, that’s a good thought. Will you tell Jongin about this?” Sehun was answered with a shake of the head. 

“No. I don’t want to worry him. Let’s keep this to ourselves, yeah?” 

“Agreed. I think that’s best for now—we don’t want to cause any conflict between Claradium and Luxarkus right now, especially since our people need help.” 

Gentle knocks emitted from the door before it slowly opened. A petite maid was standing there and her lips curled into a benign smile when the two men turned their heads to see her. “Your Prince Jongin sent me,” she said. “He requests you two to come to Prince Baekhyun’s study.” 

They stood up and thanked her, and Chanyeol discreetly pocketed the scroll once again before he and Sehun followed her to the Luxarkan prince’s study. Once they arrived, she bowed and excused herself, and the two men continued in. 

The two princes and Minseok and Junmyeon were already present in the room, and Kyungsoo arrived with Jongdae shortly after Chanyeol and Sehun did. As Jongin started to address the group, Chanyeol wondered how he was going to pay attention to everything without making eye contact with Baekhyun. 

The Claradian prince announced, “Though Prince Baekhyun and I have not found a way to transport the light yet, we have discussed a potential way to keep the light last forever in case, God forbid, anything happens to him.” 

“We will create a spell,” Baekhyun said. “And to create it, we will make a potion that must be consumed in order for me to cast it. We’ll start right now since we are working with limited time.” 

“Do you have specific ingredients in mind?” Junmyeon asked. 

Chanyeol could not help but smile to himself, once again reminded of the beauty of magic. Most sorcerers wrote down recipes for their potions and elixirs, but when it came to concocting new ones, there was no key indicator as to what ingredients were needed. It was up to the interpretation of each sorcerer to help them decide the requirements of the situation and develop a custom-made brew. He had seen Sehun create new elixirs for their friends all the time, noticing that his signature ingredients were white lily petals and milk thistle. 

“Ah, yes… I would like diamond dust, cinnamon, calla lilies, and a thimble-sized amount of unicorn blood,” Baekhyun listed. “I can see if I have any more ingredients in the cabinets.” 

“Alright, I’ll fetch the cauldron,” Junmyeon said. “Minseok, come with me to help get the unicorn blood.” 

Minseok obliged and followed the seer, and Jongin spoke too. 

“I remember where the rooms were from the tour. I can locate the calla lilies,” he said. 

“I can help with the flowers,” Sehun told him, and they exited together as well. 

Without any words, Kyungsoo accompanied Jongdae out to find the last ingredient. 

Chanyeol was _perplexed_. While the others rapidly claimed the ingredients, he had been standing there with his eyes wide, dumbfounded because he knew where nothing was in the castle. Had he really missed that much from a casual group stroll around the place? Unsure of what to do with himself, he decided he would follow Kyungsoo and Jongdae. He walked a few hurried steps before he was stopped by Baekhyun’s melodious voice. 

“You’re not going to leave me all alone, are you?” 

Chanyeol’s shoulders stiffened, and he slowly turned around. 

Baekhyun was opening one of the wooden cabinets at the backside table and taking out a jar, his back facing Chanyeol so he could not see his face. However, Chanyeol would not have been surprised if he was derisively smiling. Realizing the question had come from a prince, he knew that it was proper mannerism to stay. 

“Oh no, of course not,” he quickly replied. “I was just pacing.” 

_Smooth, Yeol, smooth_. 

Baekhyun turned around. 

He did have a smile. 

Though his bright smiles always looked sweet enough to melt a bar of gold, Chanyeol could see more to them. It was in his eyes, which had the energy, deep in its depths, of dark, brewing storm clouds before the first bolt of lightning was struck. 

He tilted his head to the side. “Are you scared of me, Chanyeol?” 

Chanyeol felt as if Baekhyun had just hurled a sack of bricks at his head. He kept his arms at his sides, refraining himself from reaching up and tugging his collar, which suddenly felt a little tighter around his neck. “Why do you ask that, Your Majesty?” he asked. He needed to comprehend the base of the sudden question, feeling like he had just reached a path of eggshells. 

“Well,” Baekhyun started answering, taking off his white blazer as he did, “I’ve noticed that you seem to be nervous around me ever since we’ve met each other.” He rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt over his sinewy arms and looked up at the other rather slowly. “I wanted to know if there is anything wrong.” 

Chanyeol swallowed, but he maintained his composure with some effort. “No, nothing is wrong! I apologize if it came across like that. You have this… _serious_ energy”—he mentally cursed himself for the lack of a better word—“that I did not want to meddle with. I was worried about getting in your way for a reason I’m not even aware of.” Never would he admit that the shorter man intimidated him. 

Understanding his confession, Baekhyun laughed, a ripple of sound that was surprisingly pleasant like the rays of sunshine that flooded into the solar room. “You do not need to worry about such a silly thing, Chanyeol. We can be friends, you know?” 

“Oh, I am honored, Your Majesty,” Chanyeol replied, beaming. He hoped he could consider this moment as one of genuine friendship rather than Baekhyun trying to coax the stolen scroll out of him. 

The rest of their friends started to trickle back into the study and once everyone had arrived, the potion-making process ensued. 

As Junmyeon stirred the frothing mixture, which included crushed cinnamon and glittering particles of diamond dust, Sehun stripped the pastel petals off the calla lilies while Jongin helped Minseok measure the small quantity of unicorn blood. Blood was always a tricky substance to work with; the “law of nature” could take effect if too much was used. Kyungsoo recorded the steps and ingredients of the brew, and Chanyeol and Jongdae worked together to form an effective spell along with a counter one. Baekhyun stood at the side, producing balls of light and letting them float around him. Once the potion was completed and the spells were revised, Junmyeon ladled the potion into a chalice and handed it to Baekhyun. 

The potion was sparkling and its appearance was foamy and white. Baekhyun inspected it intently before taking a large sip, gulping twice, and then placed the chalice on the table. With his eyes closed and his hands pressed together, he whispered the spell Chanyeol and Jongdae had worked on, producing a large orb of light that brightened the whole study at the same time, causing the others to squint as they watched him. He opened his eyes and nodded at Minseok, who recited the counter-spell. The balls of light from before vanished once the last word left Minseok’s lips, but the new light remained with its glow maintained. Everyone smiled at the success, and Baekhyun finally diminished the light, saving all their eyes from the strain. 

“It worked!” Jongin exclaimed, and Baekhyun chuckled. 

“It sure did.” 

“I can keep the spell safe for now,” Kyungsoo offered, and Jongdae nodded and handed the paper to him. 

“Since the spell turned out to be adequate,” Baekhyun said, “we can have supper now. We will continue to plan tomorrow.” 

Jongin shook his head. “I don’t think we can do that. It takes a day and a half to travel between the two kingdoms, meaning we would have to depart tomorrow.” 

Chanyeol blinked. He had not realized that Wednesday was almost over already. 

“That’s not necessary,” Junmyeon informed them. “We know an older spell that can transport you to Claradium without any traveling required.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Of course. It will allow us plenty of time.” 

The Claradians thanked him and, with no business left to attend for the day, they all proceeded to the dining hall together. 

✩ ✩ ✩

Chanyeol could not fall asleep. The nap from earlier prevented him from being able to shut his eyes again, though that was not most significant. The great ocean of his thoughts, with its waves thrashing against the rocks on the shore of his mind, spared him no rest anyway. He heard an owl’s resonant hoots from outside the window, and he brought his large hands up to cover his face. He uttered a muffled sigh. Finally, he tossed the blanket off and swung his legs over the bed and onto the floor. What was the point of trying to sleep? All he was gaining was a muddling headache.

He grabbed his overcoat and shrugged it on over his satin nightwear. He squinted through the dark room to look at his friends. None of them were moving except for the slow rise and fall of their chests that were in sync with gentle puffs of air, indicating they were lost in slumber. Careful not to wake them, Chanyeol tiptoed away from his bed and to the door, which he opened and closed with the utmost heed. He then made his way around the castle, walking at a slow pace with his hands in the pockets of his black coat as he had nowhere he specifically wished to be. He absentmindedly let his eyes flicker towards the window and noticed the exquisite garden outside. That’s where he would go now. He quickened his pace and reached the grand set of doors at the entrance, latched the door open, and stepped outside. 

Once he was enveloped by the fresh air of the courtyard, he finally felt the tension in his bones dissipate. His shoulders lowered, relaxed. The air was sweet from the scent of the flowers that adorned the area, and he closed his eyes as his nostrils drew it in. His feet started to move again, slowly like before but now with his body calmed, so he made his way down the broad pathway in a leisurely manner. The garden produced a vast variety of plants, and Chanyeol admired warm-colored alstroemerias, vibrant snapdragons, and the bushes of blood-red roses. He noticed a section divided off in the far left of the garden and could distinguish them as medicinal herbs after staring long enough. He turned his head to look ahead of him and his eyes widened. 

Several orbs of light, the size of apricots, floated in front of him like fireflies illuminating the midnight atmosphere. They were the same as Baekhyun’s lights. Chanyeol’s mouth formed a small smile and his eyes followed the trail the lustrous balls created in the air. The imaginary trail grew longer, and finally, they led him to a wrought iron bench under a tulip tree. That was where the source of the orbs sat—the Prince of Light. 

Baekhyun was sitting with his elbows propped on his thighs and his palms faced upward, producing orbs inattentively. His face was blank, but his eyebrows were slightly drawn together, betraying the notion that he sat with his head free of thoughts. Chanyeol observed him. 

The light of the full moon was strong tonight, but he could see him clearly because of the magic light, which surrounded and drenched him in a golden glow that made him look more angelic in his white clothing than he had ever appeared before. He flicked his tongue over his plush lips. Then he glanced up and locked his shrewd eyes on Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol felt as if a blade abruptly cut his breath short in that moment. He hadn’t realized he was standing idly for too long, watching the prince like a freak. He cleared his throat. “My apologies, Your Majesty. I came out to walk for some fresh air.” 

Baekhyun’s lips, the same ones which were plush and naturally rosy, curled into a smile. “It’s alright. I was getting fresh air too.” He gently patted the empty area next to him. “Would you like to sit next to me?” 

“Well, not if you’re going to shove me again,” Chanyeol jested, but he walked over and sat next to him, carefully folding the end of his overcoat underneath him before doing so. 

Baekhyun emitted an easy laugh. “I, too, was caught off guard in the archive!” 

Chanyeol amusedly shook his head. “It is nothing to worry about,” he told, though he did not think it mattered. Baekhyun did not look regretful in any way. 

After sitting in a moment of serene silence, Chanyeol spoke again. “Your Majesty… you asked me before if I was scared of you, but now _I_ want to ask you a question.” 

Baekhyun raised a questioning eyebrow. 

“Do you have any problems concerning me?” 

It had taken Chanyeol a lot to reach down within himself and pull out his courage to push out the question, and he timidly maintained eye contact with the prince. 

Baekhyun playfully smirked. “Is it now my turn to ask why you feel that way?” he asked. But he continued speaking, saving Chanyeol from becoming a stuttering mess. “I actually do not have any problems with you, Chanyeol. Rather, I admire your curiosity, and your lighthearted manner is refreshing in my world.” 

Chanyeol grinned widely. “Thank you, Your Majesty!” His cheeks were warmed from honor, and he said contentedly, “It’s probably a good thing we keep running into each other. We got to sort out where we stand with each other.” 

Baekhyun agreed, and they returned to the silent state of tranquility. The only noises present were the rustle of the tree branches above their head from the gentle breeze that swept through. 

As they appreciated their calm surroundings, Chanyeol tried to prevent himself from fidgeting under the other’s unrelenting gaze. Was his hair mussed from tossing and turning in bed? He wished that he had checked the mirror before he left his room, but he was unaware that the reason Baekhyun focused on him was because he admired how the lights’ reflections twinkled in Chanyeol’s big eyes. The prince finally looked away, and Chanyeol discreetly released a little breath. 

He absentmindedly watched an orb floating ahead of him, glowing brilliantly because of the stray moonbeam that fell over it and added to its gleam, but it vanished in the blink of an eye. The two men were left in the pale silvery glow from the moon that protected them from obscuring darkness. Surprised, Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun, who was starting to stir next to him. 

“Come with me, Chanyeol.” He stood up, watching the taller man expectantly. “I’ll take you somewhere.” 

Chanyeol politely nodded and obliged. He knew refusing the prince’s words would be rude, and in addition to that, he was not really provided with a choice. While he walked beside him through the garden and back into the lofty castle, he grew wary. Baekhyun expressed no discontentment when they joked about the incident in the archives earlier, but Chanyeol could not shake away the sense of foreboding that he was being led to his demise in that very second. But when Baekhyun turned his head and gave him a smile as bright as the light he could produce from his very own palms, the uneasy churning in his stomach ceased and he was able to smile back without trouble.

The pair walked through the sweeping halls and up the stairs, and Baekhyun finally halted at a wooden door that was several feet away from the entry of the second-floor drawing-room. As he turned the door handle, Chanyeol tried not to frown. _He said we’re friends now, but oh God, what if it’s an old torture room?_

On the other side of the door was a winding stone staircase. Chanyeol raised a brow at the other. 

“Oh, don’t fret! It’s not that long, come on.” 

Baekhyun then led him up the stairs and Chanyeol swallowed down all the dread that was flowing through him to the best of his ability as he ascended the steps. Worrying never suited him; he was usually an optimist. There was one last door at the top of the staircase, and Baekhyun pushed it open and stepped into another room. Chanyeol turned around in a full circle, keenly examining the new room. 

It was cooler in here because of the glassless window and gaping alcove that allowed the night’s winds to flow through easily from the refreshing garden below. He realized they were standing in a turret high above the rest of the castle. 

Baekhyun was now standing at the window with his arms resting on the windowsill. Chanyeol walked up to him and stood silently. He could see the layout of the whole garden within the courtyard like a hawk flying overhead. 

“This is my favorite place to come to,” the prince said. He was still gazing out as he spoke softly. “I come here if I need to think or take a break from my duties by simply admiring the view.” 

“It is lovely up here,” Chanyeol replied. Goosebumps rose on his skin from the light breeze that flowed through his curls, but the sensation was not unpleasant. “Thank you for sharing this with me, Your Majesty.” His eyes abandoned the view ahead of them and looked at their right. “Shall we walk out there?” He gestured towards the allure outside the doorway. 

For the first time, something flickered in Baekhyun’s eyes, something that caused the cool mask he always proudly displayed to falter for a second. “I actually don’t go out there.” 

Chanyeol studied his sudden modest demeanor. “Why not?” 

Baekhyun pressed his lips together. “I’m… not fond of heights. At all. And the merlons are too low.” 

Chanyeol could not prevent the amused grin that bloomed on his face. He uttered a gentle laugh. “Oh, Your Majesty, it’s not the heights that scare you! It’s the prospect of falling that does. But you’ll be absolutely fine—I’ll walk out there with you.” He graciously held out his hand. 

Baekhyun did not move, but his eyes flitted back and forth between the inviting hand and the taller man’s face as serious calculations swam through his pupils. 

“I promise I won’t let anything happen to you,” Chanyeol reassured him as clearly as possible. He hoped nothing about him appeared menacing. 

Baekhyun finally extended his arm and placed his hand on Chanyeol’s. Chanyeol wrapped his fingers around the other’s slender ones, his hand nearly swallowing Baekhyun’s because of the large size of his own, before slowly pulling him outside through the broad alcove and out onto the allure. 

“See?” he asked, encouragingly. “Isn’t it beautiful out here?” 

The skepticism started to drain out of Baekhyun’s face, and Chanyeol was pleased to see that he was now heartened. He gave a light chuckle. “Yes, it is.” 

Though the view before was not less exceptional, standing out in the allures high above everything else allowed a sense of freedom. They felt the wind dance around their figures and carry away any remnants of tension. A comfortable silence settled on their shoulders, light and airy, and they appreciated the natural moonlight that let them see the courtyard and the rest of Luxarkus beyond it with their hands intertwined. 

“Chanyeol?” 

“Hm?” 

“Thank you.” 


	6. Chapter 6

The chirped notes of the birds’ morning song reached Chanyeol’s ears as he stirred and pushed his blanket off of him. He stared at the ceiling, a smile on his face. As he basked in the new blanket of sunlight that draped on his body, he noticed that his head was as clear as a sky free of clouds and fresh as a summer day. It must have been because of the stroll outside and the positive outcome of the encounter with Baekhyun, which he fondly recalled. He stretched his limbs and sat up, ready to take on the day.

“ _AH_!” 

Sitting at the foot of his bed was Jongin, who was alarmed at Chanyeol’s outcry. That is, before he burst into a fit of laughter. 

Chanyeol bashfully ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. “S-sorry, Jongin. I didn’t notice you were there.” 

Jongin shook his head, sucking in a breath as he regained his composure. “No, no, I’m sorry for startling you.” 

The Claradian prince was sitting directly in the ray of sunlight that poured in through the window, and his chestnut hair appeared rather silvery where the light caressed his head. 

Chanyeol chortled, happy to make his friend laugh. “Is there a reason for you to sit here?” 

Jongin’s full lips curled into a tender smile. “I wanted to make sure you are okay.” 

“Well, of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“To be honest, Chanyeol… last night, I myself was not able to fall asleep. I heard you toss and turn and then sneak out. You’re never the type to tire-out either, yet you took a whole nap the day after our journey, so I wanted to know if there is anything I should be concerned about.” 

Slowly, it dawned on Chanyeol how the situation appeared worse than it was. Or was it really just as bad as it seemed? Now was not the time to consider it though—he had to clear it up quickly. He displayed a gleaming smile. “Don’t worry about me, Jongin, I’m completely fine. I guess this whole save-the-kingdom fiasco is just different than usual. But that’s all you need to be concerned about. I’m sorry if I have distracted you from it.”

Jongin’s eyes softened with relief, and Chanyeol had never cherished his sweet friend as much as he did at that moment. 

“There’s nothing you have to apologize for. Let’s go down and eat breakfast then.” 

“Oh, yes please!” Chanyeol eagerly swung his legs out of bed as Jongin laughed again. 

Most of the others were already seated at the long dining table when the two of them arrived, and as Chanyeol sat down beside Jongin, he caught the eye of Baekhyun, who sat at his usual seat at the head of the table. 

At the sight of him, Baekhyun gave a smile resembling two rows of shining white pearls. Chanyeol admired the true genuineness of it. He smiled back. 

✩ ✩ ✩

Striding across the courtyard and into the castle, Chanyeol held a posy of hydrangea flowers close to his chest. The thought of giving Baekhyun a gift had struck him as soon as he placed his spoon down at the end of breakfast, and he had decided to use the vast garden to his advantage. Never wanting his gifts to lack effort, especially when they bordered on flirting, he asked Sehun for the meanings of different flowers since he knew the most about plants. Though Sehun made fun of him first, he helped him before Chanyeol set out to the garden to find his chosen flowers. 

When he found the colorful clouds of hydrangeas, he plucked them out of the bush gingerly as he recalled what Sehun told him: _hydrangeas can be used to express gratitude for being understood, along with heartfelt emotions_. Chanyeol considered that entirely suitable for his relationship with Baekhyun since they had sorted out their grounds the night before. He specially picked out white hydrangeas to match the color the prince always wore too. 

Now, he was knocking on the door of Baekhyun’s study. A “Come in” issued from inside, and he pushed open the door and stepped in. He bowed. 

Baekhyun was standing behind the center table and he smiled. “Hello, Chanyeol.” 

“Hello, Your Majesty. I wanted to tell you something.” 

Baekhyun looked at him curiously, and Chanyeol drew in a breath before starting the speech he had mentally rehearsed on his way up here. 

“I admire your study very much since everything is arranged so conveniently and in a regal fashion that completely suits you. However, I personally felt that your study could use a bit of life to make it _even_ better than it already is. Thus”—he revealed the flowers from behind his back in a flourish—“I brought you these.” 

Baekhyun gazed at him before he asked, “Did you really take the time to examine my study or did you just want to give me flowers?” 

Caught off guard, Chanyeol began to flounder for words. How had he not seen that coming from a man like him? “Uh, um, well—”

The prince laughed. “I’m only kidding, Chanyeol. Thank you.” He walked up to him and graciously accepted the hydrangeas, instantly bringing them to a slim glass at the back table. He murmured a spell, and water pooled at the bottom and rose to fill the glass halfway. “I’ll keep these lovely flowers here for now,” he said as he placed them in the makeshift vase.

Chanyeol decided to continue, his suave composure regained. “I know I speak on behalf of my friends when I say that we are extremely grateful for your kingdom giving us help and allowing us to stay. Luxarkus is a wonderful place to be.” 

“Hm, it’s a shame that you must leave so soon.” Baekhyun smirked. “When I cast the spell to transport you back to Claradium, I may have to spare you to keep you.” 

Chanyeol chuckled. “Well then, I better learn that spell soon so that I can visit. Especially to see _you_.” Baekhyun sauntered to him, and he felt his composure slowly dismantle with each step the prince took. 

“You know…” Baekhyun was now standing in front of him, peering up at him through his lashes. “We have some time to ourselves. I could personally teach you the spell.” His voice was low, reverberating through Chanyeol’s head along with the meaning laced within his words. He lifted his hand and grasped the taller man’s chin, and Chanyeol felt a bolt of dangerous exhilaration strike through his veins and cause his large ears to flush red as Baekhyun slowly pulled down his face to look directly into his eyes. 

Two loud knocks emitted from the door before it swung open and Junmyeon strode in. Chanyeol promptly backed away from Baekhyun, but the latter was slower to regard the newcomer. “What is it, Junmyeon?” he asked, while Chanyeol was trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. 

“May I talk to you, Your Majesty?” The seer threw a glance at Chanyeol. “Alone?” 

“I’m sure whatever you need to say can be discussed in front of Chanyeol.” 

Junmyeon’s tense features did not look in the mood to persist so he simply gave in. “I’ve had a dreadful premonition ever since I woke up this morning.” 

Chanyeol’s calmed heart started to thud against his ribs again. He said nothing, but he felt like he was experiencing déjà vu; he was conveyed back to Jongin’s bedroom, enjoying dessert with his friends before Yixing dashed in. 

“So I consulted my orbuculum,” Junmyeon continued, “and gained an answer. The source of this is Claradium, Your Majesty! There’s something sinister.” 

Chanyeol spoke up before Baekhyun could. “Wait. We did not come to Luxarkus with _any_ harmful intentions, only to get aid to save our kingdom.” Junmyeon frowned at him and opened his mouth, but Chanyeol quickly said, “And if we are going to be discussing a matter like this, I think it is important that my prince should be here to hear it.” 

Baekhyun looked between the two men before nodding. “Alright. Let’s have Prince Jongin and the rest of our mods called.” 

✩ ✩ ✩

“What are we all here for?” Jongin inquired.

The rest of their friends were all standing in Baekhyun’s study now, having been summoned by the servants ordered to fetch them. Jongin, along with the others, appeared confused about the sudden group meeting as the only one expected was the one planned for the evening. 

“Your Majesty,” Junmyeon started, “I do not mean to be accusatory, but I had wary feelings and consulted my orbuculum. I discerned that Luxarkus is in trouble and it has pointed at Claradium.” 

Jongin studied him, his eyes squinting only slightly. “You think that Claradium is the reason for your trouble.” 

The seer was remarkably candid. “Precisely.” 

Chanyeol took a large step forward, attracting the eyes of the others and causing them to turn to view his movement. “I’m sorry to interrupt you once more, Junmyeon, but I have more to say.” 

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kyungsoo roll his eyes. _As usual_ , he probably thought. But Chanyeol did not care about that now. “I understand that you think Claradium will bring trouble, but I have the right to believe that Luxarkus is the very reason our kingdom is in danger. The reason we are here in the first place.” He reached into the inner pocket of his overcoat and produced the small scroll. He unrolled it as he explained, “I found this scroll in your archive. In the section of other kingdoms.” He placed it on the center table, and the other mod members rushed forward to examine and read the aged text. “This document implies that the Luxarkan people might have a correlation with the prophecy of our kingdom, if not the reason. And if your people are the reason, then something has been continued to keep it alive or else it shouldn’t have affected us now, during the time of our Bright Age.” 

Kyungsoo looked up from the scroll and gazed at Chanyeol in awe before clearing his throat. “Yes, what Chanyeol said is perfectly reasonable. It looks like what we need to find out is the real truth behind all this.” His eyes darted around their environment. “So that we do not question our trust in each other.” 

The atmosphere in the room was thick with uncertainty. It was like the crippling humid air in the marshes of pixies, and it caused each of them to throw fleeting glances of suspicion at each other. Chanyeol could not help but let his eyes flit to the white hydrangeas at the back table and he hoped the air of their doubtful thoughts would not taint the fresh petals. 

“With this new information, Junmyeon can check the orbuculum again,” Minseok suggested, breaking the silence. 

“I agree. But I would like you to please do it in front of us,” Jongin told the seer. 

Junmyeon gave a nod, and he retrieved his crystal ball, a light azure ball which he placed on the table. As he started the process by whispering a spell and placing his fingers on the smooth surface, Chanyeol was again brought back to the night Yixing discovered the prophecy, when he, Sehun, Kyungsoo, and Jongin hovered around him to watch just as they were surrounding Junmyeon. It seemed it would only be during bleak times Chanyeol could watch the scrying process. 

After several moments of scrying, Junmyeon finally opened his eyes and stepped back from the ball. His lips were pressed together in a thin line. 

“Well?” Baekhyun demanded, his arms crossed and his brow raised. “What did you learn?”

Junmyeon wet his lips with his tongue before opening them. “Chanyeol’s premise was not far from the truth.” 

Chanyeol felt his Adam’s apple lodge in his throat—it was hard to swallow. 

“The former Prince Hyungsik hurt the people of Luxarkus for their elemental powers. After that, this kingdom became based on expecting the demise of Claradium because that is what the founders believed was rightfully deserved. So, they constructed the prophecy. But Jongin’s ascendants took over the kingdom decades ago and turned it into a place of generosity and prosperity, so it would no longer be applicable.” The seer sighed. “This is why Claradium is doomed with a slow end, starting with the loss of its light, and Luxarkus will start to unravel too because the ‘law of nature’ deems revenge as profane.” 

No one said anything. 

Words were hard to find, and the thick air from before was replaced with a chilling, disheartening draft that left them feeling empty. 

“So all this time…” Jongdae mumbled. 

With his eyes cast downwards, Baekhyun continued for him. “With the traditions I have been proudly keeping alive in Luxarkus, I have unknowingly sustained the demise of your kingdom.” He lifted his gaze, but he did not look at Jongin. He looked at Chanyeol. “And ultimately my own too.” 

Nothing had ever torn Chanyeol’s heart more than the despondency that occupied Baekhyun’s eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh nooo, what will happen to both kingdoms? :( Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

“This is perhaps the strangest phenomenon in all of history,” Jongin uttered. 

“Damn right,” Kyungsoo huffed out. 

With no words left to say, everyone was dismissed from the study, and the Claradians were back in the solar now, sitting together on Kyungsoo’s bed. Sehun remained standing with his back leaning against the bed column, his eyes staring out ahead of him but with no focus. 

“Is there any way to mend the broken history between our two kingdoms?” Chanyeol asked, desperately. The downfall of Claradium haunted him, but the additional demise of Luxarkus, where the people generously hosted them and worked to help, also left a horrendous taste in his mouth. 

“I don’t think anything can be done,” Sehun said grimly. “Karma always strikes.” 

Jongin sat upright. “But if both kingdoms are doing well now with strong leaders, shouldn’t the laws of magic spare us and our people?” he insisted. 

Chanyeol gazed at him and noticed the flicker of hope that was fighting to remain in his eyes, but unfortunately, no one had an answer for him. Chanyeol racked his brain for something—anything—and he finally asked, “Should we call Yixing? Maybe have him scry too to find out what could happen?” 

“We could, but I don’t want Yixing to be concerned about us right now. We should wait before informing him about this,” Kyungsoo said. 

“That’s true.” 

Jongin stood up and positioned himself in front of his friends. “Well, why don’t we go to the dining hall and eat? It’s not good to stress with empty stomachs,” he said encouragingly. 

“Sure, I’d like some food,” Sehun agreed. 

“It sounds great, but I would like to stay in the room for a bit,” Chanyeol replied. He did not want to disparage the care Jongin displayed for their distress, but he was far from the mood of seeing others or stomaching food, though they were both unlike him. 

Jongin gave him a concerned glance, but Kyungsoo chimed in. “I’ll stay too. I’d love to take a nap right now.” 

Chanyeol watched Jongin and Sehun leave the room before ambling over to his own bed. He sat with his elbows resting on his thighs and his chin propped on his hands, and as Kyungsoo got comfortable underneath the blankets, he thought deeply. He did want to call Yixing, not to inform him but to cheer himself up, but he knew it was not right. Even without telling him the details, he would still become worried about what troubled Chanyeol. Then his mind wandered to Baekhyun. 

Though Jongin was exhibiting unconditional kindness for them, Chanyeol knew that the matter was eating away at him. It was evident in the way Jongin’s teeth kept sinking into the flesh of his lip, the way his fingers slowly danced on his thighs when he sat on Kyungsoo’s bed. Baekhyun was the prince of a doomed kingdom as well; Chanyeol wondered how he was handling this now. 

He wanted to talk to him. His ears desired to be touched by his melodious voice during this cynical time. 

He left a sleeping Kyungsoo in the solar and started to roam the halls, pondering where Baekhyun could be. Was he still in his study? Or had he gone someplace? He suddenly halted, and he licked his lips in anticipation as he realized where the prince could be now, especially given the current situation. Quickly, he retraced the path he had walked with Baekhyun the previous night, to the door near the drawing-room and up the winding staircase. 

When he opened the door to the turret, a gust of air greeted him, instantly cooling the stress that was buried into his body. He looked out to the allure through the doorway since the tower was empty and that was where he spotted Baekhyun. 

The sunlight at this hour was the sweet color of a tangerine, and it kissed Baekhyun’s face with fondness. Chanyeol stepped into the allure and the other turned his head. He offered a friendly smile. “I thought I could find you here since you come here to take a break. It looks like you’ve gained the courage to walk out here.” 

Baekhyun gave a small smile as he came to stand next to him. “After last night, I realized there was nothing to be afraid of.” He kept his eyes on Chanyeol, admiring the honey-tone of his skin in the beautiful sunlight. 

“Your Majesty… did you know I had the scroll this whole time?” 

“I did.” 

“Why didn’t you do anything about that?” 

Baekhyun gazed back at the kingdom before them. “I didn’t believe you would cause any conflict with it, so I simply let you go. I was right to do so—you helped us discover everything about the past.” 

The past. The damned past that was catching up to their very own lives. 

“I’m sincerely sorry about the actions of Claradium’s former prince and how that’s harming Luxarkus now.” 

Baekhyun shook his head. “It’s not your doing, you don’t need to be sorry. If there is anything I can apologize for, it would be on behalf of the early rulers who wished for Claradium’s downfall, even though a good man like Jongin is ruling it. And a delightful man like you is living in it.” 

Chanyeol smiled again. “I appreciate that, but you don’t have to be sorry either.” He paused before continuing. “You know, I always try to find the silver lining in bleak situations, and now I have something better than a little silver lining to be thankful for.” 

“What could that possibly be?” 

“It was my opportunity to come here and meet you.” 

Baekhyun glanced at him, and something softened in his eyes. He placed his hand on top of Chanyeol’s, which was resting on the merlon. “If I have you by my side, Chanyeol, I know everything will be alright.” 

A warmth in Chanyeol’s chest hugged his heart, a warmer sensation than the sunbeam that draped their bodies. He wrapped his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders to pull him close, and the prince rested his head on the taller man’s chest, fitting perfectly as if that was where he was meant to be. After a moment of standing in each other’s embrace, Chanyeol looked down at him. 

“Would you like to come down to the dining hall?” he proposed. “My friends will be eating there.” 

“You can begin heading down. I would like to stay here a little longer,” Baekhyun replied politely. 

Chanyeol squeezed his hand before departing, but when he reached the doorway Baekhyun called his name. He turned around. 

“From now on”—Baekhyun flashed his stunning grin—“just call me Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol beamed. “Thank you. Thank you, Baekhyun.” 

✩ ✩ ✩

Chanyeol’s nose caught the faintest waft of food, and he knew he was getting closer to the dining hall. As he walked through the hallway, he felt contentment. It was small, but it was enough to satisfy him during this time. Baekhyun was right: if they had each other, everything was going to be alright. They had their friends too, so together they could help Luxarkus just like they worked to save Claradium. 

_BOOM_ _!_

The castle started to tremble aggressively. Chanyeol hastily dove towards the wall to grab onto for stability, and his eyes were completely rounded in their sockets as a spasm of terror shot through his body. The quaking stopped and he glanced around, breathing heavily. Bits of debris and patches of dust were falling from the high ceiling. An abrupt shout tore through the uncanny air, causing him to jolt. It did not sound like anyone he knew. 

He scrambled up and heard hammering footsteps turn the corner ahead of him at the same time. A castle statue—a tall knight—was standing before him, its helmeted head facing his still figure as he held his breath. 

Then it charged toward him. 

He yelped and wheeled around, and a gargoyle statue leaped down from above. In its gaunt claw was a piece of debris which it viciously flung at him, but he managed to duck under and roll out of its way. The horrific understanding dawned on him, rushing up his throat like sickening bile—Luxarkus was being undone at its own hands. 

The rogue statues were accumulating in number, and Chanyeol continued to dodge their advances with minimum grazes. “ _Dirracto_!” he shouted. 

The statue in front of him ruptured into several pieces and he brought his arm up to shield himself from the debris that scattered around recklessly. The statues were lunging towards his darting body as he tried to break as many as he could. He turned to see another knight and pointed his finger to aim, yelling a spell to slow it down. 

The knight was fast. It raised its circular shield to protect itself, and the spell that shot out of Chanyeol’s finger bounced off it and barreled back to him, hitting him square in the chest. He toppled backward and hit the ground, his mind in a dazed state now. The knight moved toward him like a swift executioner approaching their victim. It yielded its sword above its head and swung it downward. He watched it slice through the air before he closed his eyes and cowered underneath his arms. 

_CLANG._

Unexpecting to be in one piece, Chanyeol peered open his eyes and saw another sword blocking the knight’s. It belonged to Jongin. 

“Run!” his friend exclaimed. He disarmed the knight and recited a spell to shatter a gargoyle behind them. 

“Jongin, I can help you—” 

“That’s an order, Chanyeol!” Jongin barked. “Get somewhere safe!” 

Chanyeol jumped to his feet and dashed down the hall, leaving the chaos behind him. He ran as fast as he could and immediately slipped into an empty room as soon as he saw it. He slammed the doors shut and rested his back against them, dragging a long breath into his mouth and gulping it down. 

Hot agitation irritated his scalp, and he emitted a frustrated groan. He wanted to help Jongin immensely with every fiber of his being, but he knew the other would have gotten mad if he stayed. As he loped to the window, the noise of destruction rang in his ears, and suddenly he heard heavy footsteps on the roof above his head. He paused. 

The castle statues had already reached the walkways above at the top of the structure, and his heart sank deep down into the pit of his stomach. He had left Baekhyun there. 

He rushed to the door, but it swung open at the same time, slamming into him and knocking him off his feet. 

Minseok hurried in and glanced at his crumpled figure on the floor. “Chanyeol!” he exclaimed as he pushed the doors closed. 

Chanyeol quickly stood up. “Minseok, what do we do?” he cried. 

“We have to get out of here! I’ll use the transporting spell.” 

The door started to rattle on its hinges as a statue pounded from the other side. 

Chanyeol ran his fingers through his hair, distraught. “But what about Prince Jongin? And your prince? And Sehun and—” 

“Never mind them!” Minseok blasted a stream of ice at the door, freezing it to keep it sealed against the advancing army. He grabbed Chanyeol’s arm and pulled him close. “ _Evanesca prutimo_!” In a blurring whirlwind, the castle and mayhem vanished around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chanyeol: Everything's gonna be fine! We're all in this together! EXO, we are one—  
> Me: I'm about to end this man's _whole_ career (I'm sorry!) 
> 
> I apologize in advance if my updating schedule is not consistent in the following weeks because I will be starting school ㅠㅠ But thank you for staying with me!


	8. Chapter 8

The light twitter of birds was a stark contrast to the noise of fighting and wreck. As Minseok dropped his arm and paced the area, Chanyeol examined the new place. The view of the coral sky above was clear, and tall trees completely covered the area and surrounded them. Though the air was crisp, he felt like he was suffocating.

“Where are we?” 

“I brought us to a forest nearby the castle,” Minseok answered. He was staring at the castle’s high towers that peaked above the green heads of the trees. “We’re at the entrance of it.” 

Chanyeol trudged up to him. “What do we do now?” 

He sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. I think we should wait to see what happens. Then we can create a plan.” He made his way to a tree and sat at the base, resting his back against the trunk. 

Chanyeol wanted to argue with him and insist on using the transportation spell to bring the others to safety, but he knew there was not much they could do. It would not be convenient; their friends could be anywhere in the castle, and transporting back and forth from there to the forest was far from fun. The spell made him exhausted too, an effect from the “law of nature” to limit extensive magic, so he lowered himself to sit against a tree and wait just like Minseok.

The sky darkened with the passing of many moments, and Chanyeol drew his overcoat tighter around himself as the air grew chilly. His eyes started to follow the small snowflakes that flurried above Minseok’s open palms. He himself had considered using magic to weave together some of the twigs and leaves nearby to create a little crown, maybe one a forest monarch could wear. But the uneasiness in his stomach had prevented him from being able to. 

Minseok glimpsed at him, noticing how he was sitting against the tree miserably, and straightened his posture. “Do you want to see what I can do with my power?” 

A small smile reached Chanyeol’s lips. “I would.” 

Minseok flicked his index finger around in the air like a conductor waving around their baton, and little puppies emerged from the ground. Puppies made of snow. 

Chanyeol’s eyes immediately lit up and he laughed in delight. A snow puppy came close to him and he held out his hand to beckon it over. It scampered over and onto his hands eagerly, and he ignored the cold moistness of the snowy body on his palms as he fondly watched its ears flap. 

“When Baekhyun was young,” Minseok said, watching the puppies skitter around, “he was actually quite rambunctious. It would get him scolded often, and then he would cry in his room. I learned how to create these puppies since they cheered him up every time.” 

Chanyeol imagined a young Baekhyun cupping one of the puppies close to himself as its snow tongue licked away a tear running down his cheek. The image brought him a felicity that brightened his mood. “I’m sure Baekhyun is most thankful to have you all this time.” 

Minseok smiled tenderly, something he hadn’t had the chance to see before. “Baekhyun was like a little brother to me. He still is.” 

Chanyeol thought back to their first day in Luxarkus, and suddenly, it all clicked. Though Minseok could have been warning them because of his own natural powers, as they had assumed, the true reason was because of his care for Baekhyun. He had what was similar to a fraternal relation with him, instilling feelings of overprotectiveness and responsibility in him which Chanyeol admired. Of course he would be worried about Baekhyun’s safety. 

“A good amount of time has passed,” Minseok said, throwing a glance at the castle. “The chaos should be clearing up now, but it’d be unwise to go back and check.” He bit his lip. “No one else came to the forest… so we have to make a plan now. Maybe we can try to get in touch with them first?” 

Chanyeol nodded. “That’s perfect! I have a way to call them so—” He paused. “Hang on.” He reached into his pockets and fished around in them, silent dread building up inside of him. After a short minute, fruitless, he swore under his breath. “I had a yellow topaz, but it’s left behind in the solar. I don’t have a way of calling them now.” 

Minseok stood up. “That’s alright. We don’t need any crystals.” 

Chanyeol frowned at him, confused. 

“There’s another old-fashioned spell to communicate and it requires fire. That would actually be a bonus for us since it’s become chilly out here.” 

Chanyeol leaped to his feet. “Brilliant! I can prepare the fire then. Just you watch, I’m nearly a Natural myself when it comes to fire,” he boasted. He roamed around the area and scoured the forest ground for long twigs. While he gathered what he found, the light easiness that had settled in his head was slowly crippling away as his mind wandered with his feet. 

Had anything morbid happened to any of their friends in the castle? Kyungsoo was _sleeping_ during the time it all started, and his throat tightened at the thought. What if no one responded to their call? Would that mean they were in trouble or doing something else that—?

“Ahem?” Minseok called out. 

Startled, Chanyeol realized that his movements had stopped. “Sorry,” he mumbled and brought over the wood he found. 

Minseok shook his head with a roll of his eyes, but his expression was not unkind. The fire was started, and the spitting flames cast uneven shadows on their glowing faces. He drew in a breath and then recited the spell. The next moment was tense, each second battering down on Chanyeol as they waited. Then the flames turned turquoise blue. 

The color of Jongin’s zircon crystal. 

The Claradian prince’s face became visible amidst the flames, and Chanyeol jutted forward. “Jongin!” 

“Oh, Chanyeol!” Jongin exclaimed, relief flooding his countenance at the sight of the two men. “Are you and Minseok alright? We were just planning on how to find you guys.” 

“We’re completely fine. But where are you? Do you know where the others are?” Chanyeol frantically asked. 

Jongin provided a reassuring smile. “There’s no need to worry; all of us are fine and in Claradium right now.” He explained to them how when the castle shuddered and started to crumble, he had ordered Sehun to run upstairs and retrieve Kyungsoo while he himself went to find the others. Baekhyun was able to safely come down from the turret and find Jongdae while Jongin found Junmyeon after he rescued Chanyeol. When the group managed to come together, Baekhyun cast the transportation spell to take them to Claradium. 

Chanyeol released a sigh and Minseok closed his eyes, both of them grateful that everyone was safe. 

“Can you two get to Claradium soon?” 

“It would be ideal if we could transport now,” Minseok answered, “but doing it once was draining enough, Your Majesty. We will be able to do it again tomorrow, which is when we plan to come.” 

“Alright. Stay safe in the meantime and get some rest too. Our friends will start resting to recover now,” Jongin replied. 

Chanyeol and Minseok wished the same for him, and the turquoise color of the fire faded away with Jongin’s face and left the flickering flames that mixed in a craze of yellow, orange, and red. 

“I guess all that’s left is to sleep,” Chanyeol said. He pulled off his overcoat and draped it on his legs. He shifted to find how he could position himself to sleep until Minseok stopped him. 

“Lie down,” he told him. 

Chanyeol did not understand, but he obliged. Once he was resting comfortably on the forest ground, Minseok hovered his hand above his body. A thick blanket of snow formed on his body, covering him from his feet to under his chin, and he glanced at Minseok, who explained, “The snow traps the heat, so your body will be kept warm underneath it.” 

Though Chanyeol thought it was rather peculiar, he thanked him. He genuinely appreciated being saved from the prospect of shivering in the middle of the night with this coat tangled between his legs. He slowly exhaled, forcing the visions from today to leave him with the breath, and succumbed to sleep. 

✩ ✩ ✩

The glowering morning sun pressed down on Chanyeol’s eyelids, reddening his blank vision when he slowly regained consciousness from a dreamless sleep. He forced open his eyes and squinted, and was surprised to see the blanket of snow remained on his body. The extent of Minseok’s powers was impressive, and he noted that once he returned to Claradium and everything was under control, he would learn more about Naturals with Yixing. Maybe Baekhyun would be happy to help them too. 

He pushed the snow away from underneath, breaking up its form, and sat up once most of it was on the ground beside him, finally melting under the sun as he shook the remnants off his clothing. Minseok was still asleep, so he quietly made his way to a tree to sit against its trunk. He gazed up at the cyan sky. 

Was Baekhyun awake and looking up at the same sun? Sorrow began to settle on Chanyeol’s shoulders. He had seen how distraught Jongin became at the notion of Claradium losing its light, so how did Baekhyun feel? How did he feel when his own kingdom crumbled before him, right under his very feet? 

Chanyeol sighed and out of the corner of his eye he caught Minseok’s figure stirring underneath the snow blanket. The blanket vanished, and he sat up sleepily. 

Chanyeol smiled at him. “Good morning.” 

“Good morning,” Minseok yawned. 

The two of them rose to their feet, stretched their limbs, and started to discuss their plan for the day. 

“Should we call our friends to let them know we’ll arrive shortly?” Minseok asked. 

“I think that’s a good idea. Today’s the day of our Star Festival so it’d probably be best to know what’s going on in Claradium right now.” 

“Alright, you can start the fire then.”

Chanyeol took a step to gather wood again, but he felt a tremor arise from the ground and up his booted foot. He halted and inattentively gazed down at the ground in concentration. “Minseok… do you hear that?” 

The ground began to rumble harder and they both turned around. Ahead of them from the entrance of the forest was an army of rogue knights and statues, some mangled and missing chunks of stone from their bodies, emitting ferocious roars as they charged towards the horrified duo. 

“ _FUCKING RUN_!” Chanyeol bellowed, and he and Minseok began sprinting deeper into the forest. 

The ground quaked harshly where the statues’ stone feet pounded upon it, and Minseok conjured snowballs and jets of ice, all of which he hurled at the figures behind them. A snowball he desperately launched sailed through the air like a curveball and slammed into Chanyeol’s face. He uttered an unattractive sound and immediately wiped at his wet face with his sleeves as Minseok shouted an apology. He spat out the last bit of water, and ignoring the slight stinging in his nose, he recited, “ _Reen motaes_!” 

Bewitched, the branches of the trees behind them bent down drastically to snag and pull at whichever statues were in reach. Though the spells and jarring blasts of ice were slowing down the army, it was not enough. 

Chanyeol caught up to Minseok and shouted, “I don’t know if we can outrun them!” Truthfully, he had some hope for himself because of his long legs, but he was not entirely sure about Minseok, who was significantly smaller than him. But running ahead of Minseok and leaving him to the vicious army was something he absolutely could not bear. 

Minseok was panting too. “Well we—” 

Chanyeol’s foot sank into a patch of grass and his body tumbled forward. He screamed and grabbed hold of Minseok’s arm, dragging him down into a hole where they sprawled into each other’s arms ungracefully. Out of alarm, Minseok’s foot released a jet of ice, freezing the inclined ground under their bodies; they helplessly slid further down a tunnel on the slippery ice, holding each other and yelling as they collided into the sloping walls. The surface beneath them was gone for a short second as they flew out of the long tunnel with momentum before they landed on solid ground harshly. 

They groaned, untangling themselves from each other as pain shot up their backs and left behind a dull ache. Chanyeol hobbled to his feet and peered around. He was bewildered and in awe at the same time. 

“What…” he gasped, “what is this place?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have any thoughts? Please let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

The new place was vast, and Chanyeol and Minseok felt like they were entirely surrounded by blackness. It was difficult to discern where the smooth floor met the walls, which were slightly reflective, but they were saved from feeling confined in the black box or wherever they were. Around them glittered hundreds, maybe thousands, of twinkling stars of numerous colors. Gold, magenta, purple—shades that brightened this obscure area. 

“I have no idea where we are,” Minseok said, gaping around in wonder. 

Chanyeol huffed. “Those damn statues are _relentless_.” 

“Agreed. But I do feel better since I noticed they only go after the princes and us, the mod members.” 

“Oh?” 

“Mhm. When the statues started their rampage in the castle, they simply pushed aside or jumped over the servants and Magic Court members.” Minseok swallowed. “Though my heart hurts at the thought of how we’re escaping like this, I can hope that the Luxarkan people will be fine. We have trusted dukes and duchesses in the castle so they can handle some things until Baekhyun finds out what to do.” 

Chanyeol offered a comforting smile. “That’s an assuring thought.” 

They walked through the place slowly without a sense of direction, taking in the setting. The magical energy here was not only prominent, but it felt completely foreign. It was different from the energy that occupied various kingdoms; this one lacked the influence of a sorcerer. This one was untouched. It was its own kind. 

While his friend appeared deep in thought, Chanyeol glanced at his left and his eyes widened. “Minseok!” He rushed over and crouched down beside the wall. A line of ancient runes that shimmered gold was carved into it, and the two men inspected it. 

“Oh!” Minseok exclaimed, startling Chanyeol. “I know where we are.” His eyes twinkled like the stars around them as he started to explain. “The Luxarkans have documented a place called Verimura. It is said to be an exceptionally magical place that is immensely powerful in a subtle manner. The reason it’s nearly impossible to find is because it has no set place.” 

Chanyeol knit his brows together. “Meaning?” 

“It means this place has come to us now because it could be our destiny. Or maybe to save us from the atrocious statues.” He sighed in disbelief. “Luxarkus has been looking for Verimura for decades, but we are finally lucky enough to arrive without even looking for it.” 

“I think I’ve learned more in these past few days than I have in my whole life,” Chanyeol mumbled. He looked back at the runes. “Hang on—I think I can read them!” He started to grin, feeling a giddiness come alive in him. “I’m obviously not fluent since this is… a _very_ old language, but I can decipher a decent amount.” 

Minseok leaned forward and scrutinized the symbols. “I know a little bit too. How do you know such an old magic language, though?” 

“Ah, when I was younger, I came across a scroll of the language. My interest was immediately piqued because I love learning all that I can. I asked Yixing—our magic seer—to help me start learning it before I continued on my own.” 

Minseok curled his bottom lip and nodded, impressed, and they worked together with the knowledge they had to decipher the runes. With each line they read, another carved itself in gold underneath. As they did, Chanyeol’s heart grew heavy with the abundance of what they discovered. 

“It looks like Luxarkus used dark magic to weave together the prophecy on Claradium,” he said, running his finger along the line of the old language. 

Minseok closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that our past rulers did so much all in the name of revenge.” 

A bitter taste formed in Chanyeol’s mouth. “It’s all because of Hyungsik. He caused so much destruction and tore apart our kingdoms like this.” He switched his gaze to Minseok’s face. “But I’m glad that we can stand and work together now,” he said kindly, and the other smiled. 

A new inscription appeared and they refocused on the message. 

A small glimmer of hope emerged in Chanyeol, fluttering in his stomach like a delicate butterfly. “It says there’s a way to save our fates!” 

“But what is the way? That symbol is unknown to me.” 

They studied the last symbol in the line. It was a circle with a slash that cut through from the upper right to the lower left, and in it was a shape that had a similar resemblance to a teardrop. 

“Generosity?” Minseok guessed. 

“But Prince Baekhyun has already been so generous with his power.” 

“Companionship?” 

“An… alliance?” 

“Whatever it is”—Minseok straightened himself and crossed his arms—“it’s most likely some gesture that establishes a genuine relationship between the two kingdoms.” 

Chanyeol rose from his crouched position. “The two of us could spend forever trying to figure out what it could be. We should go to Claradium and discuss what we’ve learned with the others. The seers can help, especially.” 

“Good thinking.” 

“Can you cast the transportation spell now?” 

Minseok instantly shook his head. “I can’t cast any magic in here. It’s much too inferior to the magic in this place. We’ll have to look for a way to get out.” They started to do so, and as they attempted to spot any openings in the surrounding blackness, Minseok commented, “I hope the others aren’t worried about where we are right now since time passes differently in here.” 

Chanyeol looked at him in surprise. “Wait, what?” 

“Time passes differently in Verimura than it does outside. I don’t know the exact timing, but fifteen minutes in here could be at least two hours out there.” 

“But we’ve spent too long here and we shouldn’t! The Star Festival starts when the clock strikes seven. We all have to be there to stop the lights from going out!” 

“Don’t worry, Chanyeol, we’ll try to get out as soon as we can.” 

The floor suddenly shifted under their feet and they stumbled in their steps. 

“What’s happening?” Chanyeol demanded. 

Minseok glanced around in horror. “I think the place is starting to change its location.” 

Chanyeol’s hands balled into fists and he groaned. “Can we _not_ catch a break?” he cried. 

The walls around them pushed in and they started running further ahead, away from where the place was closing in behind them. 

“We have to find the exit!” Minseok yelled. 

Chanyeol spotted an opening and bolted towards it, only to slam his shoulder against the wall as it abruptly closed. “What!” 

“The exit changed! We need to find the new one!” Minseok raced in another direction and Chanyeol groaned for the nth time before chasing after him. 

“There!” He pointed at another opening ahead of them. The bright light it spilled into the dark place begged them to pursue it, and the two men ran to it. Both of their chests were heaving and they did not dare to stop. 

The walls were closing in around them faster and faster and the stars that were considered beautiful before obscured their visions in the confined area. Chanyeol bared his teeth, pushing through blindly and desperately until the light of the exit flooded the back of his eyelids. He and Minseok burst through the opening, jumping out and rolling onto the grass of the outside world. They lay on the ground, gulping in lungfuls of air to recollect their breaths as their lives depended on it. Not a single trace of Verimura was left around them. 

Minseok finally lifted his head weakly. “I…” he panted, “I can transport us to Claradium now.”

Chanyeol’s hand shot out and rested on the other’s shoulder. “Let’s rest a little first,” he said, recalling how draining the process was. “I would rather die than use that spell right now.”

“That’s fair.” 

They remained on the forest ground, steadying their breaths and calming their heartbeats. The sky above them was already the subdued color of lavender, and Chanyeol grasped how much time _did_ pass while they were in Verimura. It was intelligible to him though: it was one way for such refined magic to retain its limits on the ordinary people. But weren’t their friends terribly worried about them? They would not have been able to reach them throughout the whole day since he and Minseok had no crystals or other tools for communication. Letting them know about their current whereabouts was not a wise option either since a fire took a while to make, despite how skilled Chanyeol was at handling it. 

“Minseok, I think we should get to Claradium now.” 

Minseok pushed himself to his feet and Chanyeol followed suit. They gripped each other’s hands. “ _Evanesca prutimo_!”

✩ ✩ ✩

The two men appeared in front of the Claradian castle. Chanyeol initially thought he would appreciate the familiarity of the place he called home his whole life when he returned, but now, he and Minseok were dashing through the entrance with only the single thought of finding their friends. Minseok followed Chanyeol into the great hall, where they found the others in the midst of a fervent discussion. Sehun turned his head first. 

“Chanyeol!” he exclaimed. He ran up to his best friend and pulled him into an embrace. The others swiftly surrounded the two expected newcomers, and Jongdae also ran into Minseok’s arms. 

Chanyeol pulled away from Sehun and his eyes landed on Yixing. “Oh, Yixing, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” He reached over and enveloped his dear seer into a hug. He grinned from ear to ear at Jongin and Kyungsoo and then glanced around, slowly starting to frown. “Where are the others?” 

“Junmyeon is in the magic seer room,” Yixing explained, “and Prince Baekhyun went out to the allure to examine our lights.” 

Chanyeol tried to hide his disappointment as he nodded. He had wanted to see Baekhyun to check up on him himself. Minseok noticed his low expression and offered him a kind smile, which he returned. 

“You two arrived just in time—the Star Festival begins in five minutes,” Jongin informed. 

“That’s plenty of time to discuss what Minseok and I found out,” Chanyeol said. 

“Let’s talk while we head up to Prince Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo suggested, and the group made their way to the castle stairs together.

“We found Verimura!” Minseok revealed. 

Jongdae gaped with disbelief. “It came to you guys?” 

“What is Verimura?” Jongin asked. 

Chanyeol started to explain, “It’s a place that—” 

A beam of light from a lantern against the wall blasted toward them and they immediately ducked with some shouts. In terror, they glanced up and watched the other lanterns start viciously spitting out their lights without direction, creating an unruly frenzy in the castle. 

“What is going on?” Sehun cried. 

“Are we losing our lights already?” Kyungsoo said in distress from where he clutched the staircase railing. 

“But Yixing said our lights would vanish!” Jongin exclaimed. 

Yixing frantically looked around the chaotic setting. “I never said _how_ they would!”

They dodged the furious lights, and Jongin shouted a spell to alter the course of a shooting light to save a maid who tried to flee the hall. Chanyeol hunkered down on the steps and covered his head with his arms. 

Suddenly, he felt the same apprehension from the day before. The same sinking of his heart when he took refuge from the statues and realized Baekhyun was still out there. This time, he would not be held back. 

He scrambled to his feet and bolted up the stairs. His ears blocked out Sehun’s shouts to him from behind and he evaded the lights with sharp movements. He slipped into the doorway and ran up the winding staircase until he finally came to a stop in the alcove of the wall. 

There on the walkway ahead of him was Baekhyun, standing under the violet sky. Today he wore a black suit rather than his usual white, and his arms were raised as he moved them in an attempt to control the berserk lights. 

A jerking beam of light captured Chanyeol’s attention, and to his horror, he watched it zoom towards him. “ _Baekhyun_!”

Baekhyun whipped around and caught sight of him. “Chanyeol,” he breathed out. 

The light was getting closer. 

Chanyeol darted to him and pushed him down and Baekhyun wrapped his arms around his broad shoulders in surprise. As they collapsed to the ground in each other’s arms, Chanyeol felt the fervid light scorch his body, and the world around him shone blindingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _dun, dUn, dUuNNn_  
>  What happened to Chanyeol? Are both kingdoms doomed?? The next chapter will determine their fates, so stay tuned!


	10. Chapter 10

It was quiet. Everything was quiet. The only sound present in Baekhyun’s ears was the swishing evening breeze. He blinked slowly and sat up from where he was sprawled on the ground. The lights that had just threatened him earlier were now peacefully flickering in their lanterns as if they had been where they belonged during the last moments. Everything appeared as normal as it could be. But Chanyeol was not there. 

“Baekhyun!” 

He snapped his gaze forward and saw Minseok rush to him with the others at his tail. 

“Are you alright?” Jongin asked anxiously. 

“I’m fine,” Baekhyun calmly replied as the others helped him to his feet. “But…” He glanced at them, stunned. “Chanyeol is gone.” 

✩ ✩ ✩ 

Was he dead? Was he still alive? 

Despite the ringing in his ears, Chanyeol _felt_ alive. He could be in some sort of afterlife then. But when he opened his eyes, the golden and magenta stars that hovered in the air were the first to greet his pupils. They prevented the blackness from assaulting his vision. 

He knew where he was. The feel of this magical energy was unique and in only one place he was lucky enough to be brought to. Well, now he was beyond lucky to be brought twice.

He was in Verimura. But why? 

He clambered to his feet, and a light sting on the side of his body burned him. He grimaced and reached his hand forward to slowly edge towards the indiscernible wall and stopped once his fingertips pressed against something smooth. He leaned forward to find what he could distinguish from the reflective surface. 

A long mark resembling a crackling lightning bolt extended from his neck to his collarbone and down the rest of his body, though it became hidden under his clothing. He released a small gasp, astounded by his new scar. At least it brought him only minimal pain. What mattered was that Baekhyun had been saved from it all. 

A shimmering noise emitted from the starry orbs around him and he switched the gaze of his widened eyes to them. The small stars floated towards each other. He watched them assemble together, creating a rectangular screen in front of him before displaying a sparkling image. An image of Claradium. 

He gasped and hurriedly stepped forward to eagerly survey it. It showed him the frightful sight of the light beams whirling around the castle like violent gusts of a tornado, but with the blink of an eye the lights returned to their respective lanterns and Claradium’s atmosphere became calm under the violet sky. A wide smile tugged at Chanyeol’s lips with great relief. His kingdom was alright. 

Symbols of the old language emerged under the magical screen, and he began to decipher them with the help of the images of Claradium and Luxarkus he was provided. When the meaning behind their present and future became apparent, he felt a warmth bloom in his chest as if he found sunlight for the flower of his heart. His kingdom was still standing because he committed the greatest action of all, the greatest action to portray the growth between the two kingdoms with flawed pasts. It was the last symbol he and Minseok had not been able to translate. Sacrifice. 

Without a thought, he had leaped into the face of danger and sacrificed himself for Baekhyun. A beautiful, overwhelming contentment filled his lungs and overflowed his body because he knew he would do it all over again even if he had no clue it would mend the severed relation of the two kingdoms. 

The stars began to shimmer again, but this time they floated to Chanyeol and swarmed around his body, covering himself from head to toe. Slowly, he felt himself vanishing. 

✩ ✩ ✩

The heavy fog occupied the drawing-room in the form of sorrow and hindered the ability to see triumph. Almost four hours passed in Claradium, and none of the princes or mods of the two kingdoms considered suggesting it was time to go to bed. They knew they would not be able to get a single blink of sleep. Instead, they remained in the drawing-room beside the fire that cast a glow the color of honey on the walls and on themselves, exchanging what words they could. Words to keep Chanyeol’s spirit alive. 

Baekhyun gazed at the sputtering flames with his hands locked together on his lap. As the others listened to Jongin speak about how they had to prevent the misconduct of magic in the future, he flicked his gaze to Sehun, who was wretchedly sitting on the floor beside the fireplace and failing to listen just like him. He was aware Sehun would take what happened to Chanyeol the hardest—he had noticed the two of them spend the most time together. They were the closest friends. But Baekhyun did not know if the other felt the brute shadow that wounded his heart anew every minute too. 

He rose from the armchair and excused himself. Avoiding Minseok’s concerned glance, he briskly exited the room. He wanted to be alone. 

He ambled down the hall, his shoulders lowered than their usual higher and prideful position. Chanyeol was gone because he had saved _him_. He was here, walking down the hall because Chanyeol was not. He pushed out a tight sigh from his throat and cursed the “law of nature.” What place did it have to meddle with the lives of many innocent people? Because of the past he did not even know, he lost the man who made him feel like he stepped into a patch of sunlight every time he heard his dulcet voice. 

He glimpsed out the tall windows and at the allure where it all happened. 

Then he halted. 

On the allure appeared a shimmering light in the shape of a tall figure. Baekhyun’s heart leaped to his throat and he ran one step, two steps, before his feet began to sprint. “Guys!” he shouted. “Come out here!” He barged out onto the allure and skidded to a stop, his breath coming out in quick puffs from exhilaration. 

From the radiating light emerged Chanyeol. He was greatly disheveled, but the bright smile on his face was enough to pull the kingdom out of despair. 

A wave of euphoria crashed into Baekhyun, yet its intensity could not knock him off his feet for he rushed up to him and grabbed his collar to pull him down. He planted a firm kiss on his mouth before pulling away, surprised he was even able to—his plush lips had molded with Chanyeol’s velvety ones as if they were at home. 

Chanyeol’s cheeks flushed to the color of sweet cherries, and he chuckled as Baekhyun ruffled his curly hair. 

“ _Chanyeol_!” 

All their friends were there, beyond elated at the sight of him, and ran up to tackle him with embraces and pounds on the back. 

“I thought you left me,” Sehun said, tears pooling in his eyes, and Chanyeol wrapped his arms around him tightly as Kyungsoo hugged him from behind. 

Awe-struck, Baekhyun asked, “How… how did you manage to come back?” 

“The kingdom is saved.” Chanyeol shyly grinned. “And it’s because I sacrificed myself for you.” 

A boyish grin crept on Baekhyun’s face as he glanced down before looking back up, his eyes sparkling. 

“I also have good news,” Chanyeol continued. “Because of Luxarkus’ generosity, the ‘law of nature’ has allowed your kingdom the chance to rebuild. You can continue to thrive just like Claradium.” 

Baekhyun’s jaw dropped and the members of his mod were gaping. 

“Is this the truth?” Junmyeon gasped. 

Chanyeol nodded. “Yes. I learned this all in Verimura.” 

“Chanyeol, let’s get you patched up. You look like you’ve been in a troll fight,” Jongin said, and the others amusedly agreed. 

Pure happiness filtered away the grief from before like a fragrant spring breeze subduing the morning fog. Each of them shone like the stardust of the lanterns around them, and as Baekhyun took his hand and led him into the castle, Chanyeol knew that everything was going to be alright now. The people that surrounded him, his beloved friends, were safe and well, and both of the kingdoms could start a new beginning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay on your toes: the epilogue will be posted later today! I hope to see you there ✧


	11. Epilogue

“Come on, Yeollie! The castle will be completed by the time you’re done.” 

Chanyeol chortled. “Sorry, Baekhyun.” He pushed a bun of bread into his mouth before standing up and locking an arm with Baekhyun, and they departed the dining hall together. 

The morning in Luxarkus was crisp and enchanting, and the reposeful sun’s warm love only elevated their affable moods. The couple strolled around the courtyard and to the side of the castle under development. 

“I’ll have to get used to this new location, but I’m delighted that Luxarkus is neighboring Claradium now,” Baekhyun said pleasantly. “It’s the reason you received Jongin’s permission to stay with me here, after all.” 

“And Minseok’s too, let’s be honest. He’s been eyeing me like a hawk ever since I arrived.” 

Baekhyun chuckled. “Oh, do not mind him! But speaking of our friends, we can take a horse to Claradium this evening. Why don’t we all have dinner together tonight?” 

Chanyeol beamed. “That’s excellent!” 

Baekhyun smiled. “I’ll inform my mod about this later then.” 

They reached the other side of the castle where boards of blueprints and tables of various stone slabs filled the area and began to discuss the designs and spells with the attendants at the site. This had been their schedule for the past week; every morning they would visit the construction site to plan and review the magic developments of the castle before continuing the day with their own duties. So far, one half of the castle was completely finished, which included the bedrooms, dining hall, and studies. Once the second half was completed, they would work on the interior designs just as they did with the first. 

“What’s on your agenda today?” Baekhyun asked when they headed back into the castle. 

“I’m having lunch with Jongdae this afternoon,” Chanyeol replied. “Kyungsoo has given me a list of diplomatic points to touch since I take care of that for Claradium now.” He sighed, his eyes gratified. “Isn’t it wonderful how our kingdoms rule together now? You and Jongin have become the most powerful allies of our century.” 

“It is wonderful indeed. We will work together to make sure no more trouble is caused with magic.” Baekhyun glanced at Chanyeol’s scar, wistfully. “I don’t want anything like this happening to any of us ever again.” He raised himself on the tips of his toes and placed a kiss as delicate as a flower petal where the scar started under his jaw. 

Chanyeol could not prevent his large ears from reddening, and Baekhyun smirked and lightly flicked one of them, arousing a protest from the other. 

“Come on, Yeollie, let’s chat in the garden before we get busy,” Baekhyun crooned, and Chanyeol readily followed him. 

He could get used to this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it—the conclusion to Shadows Into Light! I don't intend to get any hopes up, but I do want to say that I already have several ideas for a sequel... if I can manage to weave together those fragmented ideas, I will be able to write that one day! New characters and relationships would be introduced... _*echoing evil laughter*_  
>  Anyways, thank you for your comments! Please feel free to continue leaving them throughout the chapters because it motivates me to push out more stories in the future. I hope this was a dazzling read; if you're still here, thank you so much for accompanying Chanyeol and the members throughout their journey and my own of bringing this story to life. I love you ♡


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